MORE NEWS, 5-4 (FIRST SOLAR FIRST IN THE MARKET; CONCEPT BOOSTS WIND TURBINE POWER; BERKELEY EXPANDS ITS PLAN)

FIRST SOLAR FIRST IN THE MARKET
First Solar results outshine rivals
Nicola Groom (w/Richard Solem, Matt Daily, Adveith Nair and Bernard Orr), April 29, 2009 (Reuters)

"First Solar Inc outshined rivals in the struggling solar power industry [in the first quarter of 2009]…with [increased margins and] earnings and [doubled] revenue that blew past Wall Street estimates and sent its shares up more than 13 percent…

"First Solar, whose cadmium telluride solar panels are cheaper to make than the silicon-based cells that dominate the market, said its profit more than tripled in the first quarter as it was able to cut manufacturing costs and expand margins."

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"Prices on First Solar solar panels have also not experienced the dramatic declines seen in silicon-based panels, whose makers have struggled with falling margins. A flood of solar panels in the market due to the credit crisis and a pullback in solar subsidies in Spain has driven selling prices on silicon-based panels down markedly since late last year…

"Meanwhile, Norway's REC posted a 29 percent drop in quarterly core earnings…The solar-grade silicon maker also said it did not expect global solar markets to pick up until the economy recovered…REC shares rose 8.9 percent, however, after Chief Executive Ole Enger told a presentation that the company would find financing solutions despite the challenging market…"

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"… U.S. solar systems installer Akeena Solar posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss and said it expected second-quarter revenue to be flat to down slightly from last year.
Akeena shares fell 4 cents to close at $1.06 on the Nasdaq.

"First Solar's results were markedly different from those of U.S. rival SunPower Corp, which last week reported an unexpected quarterly net loss and slashed its 2009 outlook…First Solar has been a favorite among alternative energy investors since it went public in 2006…[Though its] stock has lost more than 52 percent of its value since hitting a lifetime high of $317 last May…"


CONCEPT BOOSTS WIND TURBINE POWER
Wind Turbine Output Boosted 30% by Breakthrough Design; Passive structure design of “Wind Energizer” by Leviathan Energy reportedly increases wind turbine efficiency 30% in field tests.
Timothy B. Hurst, April 29, 2009 (CleanTechnica)

..."Leviathan Energy has completed initial testing on their Wind Energizer unit and is reporting gains in wind turbine output in the ballpark of 30% — and as much as 150% at lower wind speeds.

"The principle theory at work is that by placing passive objects around a wind farm it will change the circulation around a large wind turbine. The advancement is not in the turbine itself, but rather in the area around it…[The Leviathan Wind Energizer] can be adapted to any wind turbine from any manufacturer…"

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"The Wind Energizer is a donut-shaped structure made from steel and plastic, but the exact dimensions of it depend on site-specific data, like the tower height, length of the blades, prevailing wind direction and intensity, etc…determined in the customized modeling process…[T]he structure may not even make an entire circle (as is depicted in the images)…

"In the initial phase of testing, Leviathan measured an average of 20-40% more output with the turbines using the Wind Energizer, as compared to the control units. At lower wind speeds (0-6 meters per second) the turbines with the Wind Energizer had gains as high as 150%."

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"Leviathan’s early testing has been conducted on a relatively small scale, using commercially-available small turbines with 3-meter blades…Leviathan is currently exploring opportunities for third-party testing and certification on a commercial scale wind farm.

"Leviathan estimates that the period of return on investment for the wind energizer to be about four to five years and that wind farm operators would likely see decreased maintenance costs and longer life span because the Wind Energizer balances the velocity load and shearing forces on the turbine…"


BERKELEY EXPANDS ITS PLAN
Berkeley Solar Mapping Portal from CH2M HILL Estimates Solar Potential of Residential, Commercial and Government Rooftops City-wide; Map Enables Residents and Business Owners to Easily Assess and Maximize Cost Savings of Potential Solar Installations
April 28, 2009 (Business Wire via MarketWatch)

"CH2M HILL has completed Berkeley's Solar Mapping Portal, enabling residents and business owners to estimate the solar potential of their rooftops and view existing solar installations. CH2M HILL worked with Berkeley's Office of Energy and Sustainable Development (ESD) to identify all of the solar installations in the city and utilized its S.A.F.E.(TM) technology to map Berkeley rooftops for their solar energy potential…

"Residents and business owners in Berkeley can now log on, view their rooftops, calculate the available square footage for panels, get a photovoltaic (PV) system size to fit their rooftop, obtain detailed information on tax rebates and choose from a listing of available installers. The CH2M HILL solar map accurately reflects elements such as rooftop structures, the slant of the roof, shading from obstructions and takes into account the azimuth of the sun for PV panel placement…"

The Berkeley map. (click to enlarge)

"Berkeley's ESD seeks to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in both city operations and throughout Berkeley in order to promote a healthy and sustainable community...[and develop/promote/innovate] … energy efficiency and renewable energy…"

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"The Berkeley FIRST program, a solar finance program that assists Berkeley residents in tackling the financial hurdles of installing solar panels, is the city's flagship solar energy program. It provides property owners an opportunity to borrow money from the City's Sustainable Energy Financing District to install solar photovoltaic electric systems and repay the financing through property tax bills.

"In addition to its solar solutions, CH2M HILL Enterprise Management Solutions is the leader in carbon management systems integration….Headquartered near Denver, Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in… the areas of energy, water, transportation, environmental, nuclear and industrial facilities…"