Program Enables Small to Mid-Sized Companies, Municipalities and Not-For-Profit Entities to Obtain SunPower Solar Systems While Conserving Cash

Key Equipment Finance, one of the largest bank-held equipment finance companies in the U.S. and an affiliate of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), and SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB), a U.S.-based manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, today announced a new program to fund up to $50 million in SunPower commercial-scale solar systems.

All slurry recovery plants are currently running stably after last week's fire, buffer stock of slurry allowed REC Wafer's operations to continue as normal.

Europe's solar industry should prepare to defend its lucrative market in Germany without becoming protectionist as incentive cuts loom there, the head of the world's largest photovoltaic industry association said.

Feed-in tariffs --the prices utilities have to pay generators of renewable energy -- are reduced annually in Germany. However, the government said last month it would make additional one-off cuts in April and July, arguing the sector was still overly subsidized.

Britain's Eco City Vehicles has launched an electric prototype of the Mercedes Vito taxi, which will it trial later this year to test its suitability for use as part of London's iconic black taxi fleet.

"The eVito is the first all-electric wheelchair accessible taxi with a 25-foot turning circle to be launched in the world and a major step toward our goal to become a leading supplier of niche eco-friendly vehicles," said CEO Peter DaCosta.

More than a century into its existence, Philips is once again betting heavily on semiconductors. This time the consumer electronics firm is looking to harness their potential as a source of light.

The producer of one in four of the world's lights, which sold its semiconductor business in 2006 after it was undercut by Asian rivals, has invested more than 4 billion euros ($5.47 billion) to ride the clean-tech wave and defend its world-leading position.

But this time, Philips is better prepared for competition.

Electric cars must be backed by "smart" power networks if they are to help the world's climate problems, environmentalists warned on Monday as European ministers prepared to debate a strategy for the sector.

Industry ministers will meet on Tuesday in San Sebastian, Spain to discuss how to realign power infrastructure, equipment standards and the marketplace so that European carmakers can race ahead of rivals in Japan, China and the United States.

Israeli solar energy developer Arava Power said on Sunday it signed long-term contracts with 15 agricultural cooperatives to build mid-size solar fields at an investment of 2 billion shekels ($533 million).

The fields will produce a total of 100 megawatts of solar energy using photovoltaics, for an average of 6.5 megawatts per field.

Arava said it is advancing rooftop solar installations on cowsheds and factories in the signatory cooperatives.

Last year German conglomerate Siemens invested $15 million in Arava Power to build 10 five-megawatt solar fields.

Better Place said on Sunday it expects at least 45,000 electric cars on Israeli roads in the next five years, starting in 2011.

The company, which is building a network of charging stations for electric cars in Israel, Denmark and Australia, said it had signed up 92 corporate fleet owners in Israel to rotate in electric vehicles when leases expire in coming years.

The wealthy Gulf emirate has big plans to develop green technology, including construction of carbon-neutral Masdar City, but the downturn could slow progress

'Energetic' interaction between active PV roof and atrium

Atrium specialists Brakel Atmos and solar specialists Scheuten Solar have entered into a cooperation arrangement in which both companies will jointly be providing sustainable, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing atria. The combination of forces will result in a market entity bringing all the necessary specialisms under one roof.

Understanding of sustainable atria