The Rise & Shine is your daily source for all solar-industry news. Brought to you by Sweet Solar Home and the Experts at SunRun.

NATIONAL NEWS

The Solar Center Starts Installation of 96 kilowatt Solar Electric System
The Solar Center is commencing installation of a 96 kilowatt solar system for IDA-International of Derby, Connecticut, its largest solar installation to date in that state.

UTILITY INDUSTRY & REGULATORY NEWS

California Seeks One Third Renewable Power by 2020
California committed to getting a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 in a Monday executive order by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

FINANCIAL NEWS & MARKETS

MEMC Provides Fourth Quarter Financial Update
MEMC now anticipates revenue for the 2008 fourth quarter to be approximately $500 million, plus or minus $25 million, with gross margin of approximately 48%, plus or minus two percentage points, and operating expenses of approximately $27 million.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Federal ITC Changes to Affect Local Incentives
In response, state and local PV incentive programs are currently trying to decide whether or by how much to reduce their incentive levels in response to this additional value provided by the federal government.

TECHNOLOGY

New Documentary Sheds Light On Space Based Solar Power
Space-based solar power- the concept of collecting high-intensity solar energy in space, beaming it to Earth, and feeding it into existing power grids - is getting a closer look.

New Research Makes Photovoltaics More Efficient
University of Chicago scientists have induced electrons in the nanocrystals of semiconductors to cool more slowly by forcing them into a smaller volume.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Foresight’s Solar Fund to Invest in Italian and Greek PV Projects
Foresight is looking to take advantage of the long term government backed incentives, in the form of feed-in tariffs, and asset-backed projects using established technologies, to build a dedicated portfolio of projects in this fast growing renewable energy sector.

BP Solar to Close Cell Manufacturing Plant in Australia
The decision comes because the company is looking to focus its operations at larger scale plants in lowest cost manufacturing countries, in order to drive down the cost of solar power for consumers.

France Sets Plan to Double Green Share of Electricity Market
Solar will spearhead the challenge to give renewables a 23-percent share of the electricity mix by 2020, compared with 10.3 percent in 2005.

Are you in California and interested in solar for your home? Call us at 877.SUN.MOJO or visit our website to learn more.