Free Republic

Silver State North will create hundreds of jobs, power more than 9,000 homes each year September 20, 2011 Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid applauded today the Silver State North Solar Project in Clark County that is currently under construction. Silver State North will create more than 200 construction jobs and additional operations positions while generating state and local tax revenues. When the plant is fully operational in 2012, it will generate enough solar energy to power more than 9,000 Nevada homes each year. "Silver State North is the latest example of a renewable energy project that will create...

The Department of Energy announced Thursday that it has awarded First Solar, America's dominant solar manufacturer, nearly $4.5 billion in conditional loan guarantees to support the construction of three solar power plants in Southern California. With the latest awards, First Solar, headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., has nabbed a third of the $16 billion in loan guarantees the DOE has granted for solar generation to date. In January, First Solar was awarded a nearly $1 billion loan for its 290-megawatt Agua Caliente project in Arizona. First Solar expects the three projects, which should begin delivering electricity in 2014, to create 1,400...

With Egypt tensions boosting oil prices, and some favorable analyst and news reports coming out ahead of earnings, solar energy shares broadly jumped Wednesday. The 25-company Energy-Solar industry group was up 4.7% in early afternoon, leading all 197 industry groups tracked by IBD, after hitting a 12-month high intraday. Energy-Solar is up more than 19% in 2011. Key members of this group that have risen solidly this year include: First Solar 26% (FSLR), Trina Solar 20% (TSL), LDK Solar (LDK) 34%, and Yingli Green Energy (YGE) and GT Solar International (SOLR) , both up 24%. Smaller high performer JinkoSolar Holding...