San Jose-based SunPower signs contracts with Southern California Edison (3 solar plants)

Mercury News ^ | 1/10/11 | Dana Hull

[NormsRevenge]

San Jose-based SunPower, Silicon Valley's dominant solar panel manufacturer, on Monday announced three power purchase agreements with Southern California Edison to deliver 711 megawatts of solar power. The deal, one of the largest for photovoltaic solar power in the United States, would produce enough power for about 460,000 California homes.

"This is an unprecedented time for solar photovoltaic," Marc Ulrich, the utility's vice president of renewable and alternative power, said in a statement. "We're seeing growth in technological advances and manufacturing efficiencies that result in competitive prices for green, emission-free energy for our customers."

...

California's three largest utilities have been under pressure to meet the state's "Renewable Portfolio Standard," which called for 20 percent of their power to come from renewable sources by 2010. But former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order in September 2009 directing the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations requiring that 33 percent of the utilities' power come from renewable sources by 2020.

Southern California Edison also has deals with BrightSource Energy of Oakland for contracts totalling 1,300 megawatts of solar thermal power. The contracts SunPower announced Monday are widely seen as a sign that California's utilities are determined to meet the aggressive 33 percent goal, and that photovoltaics will be a big piece of their renewable energy sources.

[Nachum]

Another Soros deal?

[Ferndale]

“We're seeing growth in technological advances and manufacturing efficiencies that result in competitive prices for green, emission-free energy for our customers.”

The above statement could only have been made by a liberal, or an idiot. This is all hype and subsidies not engineering.

[jdsteel]

Great! If it works so well, we should immediately cease subsidies and government mandates.

[palmer]

I notice they didn’t give a price for the power. Alternatives generally cost between 12 and 25 cents on the east coast plus taxpayer money for the subsidies. It might not be as bad on the west coast, but it will be expensive nonetheless.

[eyeamok]

Can you spell BOONDOGGLE??

[calcowgirl]

Southern California Edison also has deals with

BrightSource Energy of Oakland for contracts totalling 1,300 megawatts of solar thermal power. The contracts SunPower announced Monday are widely seen as a sign that California's utilities are determined to meet the aggressive 33 percent goal, and that photovoltaics will be a big piece of their renewable energy sources.

Well, of course they are! Follow the money. It must be nice that these new-fandangled "entrepreneurs" enter the new market with massive subsidies for their products, mandated use of their products, free use of government land to produce their product, etc. Being a Kennedy also helps, especially when your cousin-in-law is Governor and maps out the path to riches.

[logician2u]

The SCE solar power sites will be located near Rosamond and Los Banos, whose combined population is just over 50,000 souls. One's in the high desert, the other on the wrong (left) side of the San Joaquin Valley.

So who will be using the rest of this cheap power?

And how will it get to the consumer?

This will be interesting to watch.

[NormsRevenge]

Enquiring minds want to know.

What’s in your ol’ blind trust ex-Gubby SchwarzenKennedy?

[calcowgirl]

Blind trust, LOL
What a joke that arrangement was.

[SierraWasp]

Wull... Nobudy evur 'splained it to me an everybudy else like dat befour!!!

Now we kin kinna unnerstan whut yer sayin!!!