California Clean Tech Update 02-19-10

Cali utilities: Get ready to give your customers smart meter data (earth2tech)

California's big utilities have some tough deadlines to meet to give their customers the useful -- if at times potentially unwelcome -- energy usage data being collected by the millions of smart meters they're deploying across the state. In a largely overlooked ruling, the California Public Utilities Commission said in December that Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric have until the end of 2010 to give their customers -- and approved third parties, which could include Google, Microsoft or other makers of energy data portals -- smart meter data that the utilities have collected in their back office servers.

Google gets go-ahead to buy, sell energy (CNET)

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has authorized Google Energy to buy and sell electricity in bulk like any other utility. The FERC, the agency with oversight of the U.S. power grid, signed an order on Thursday that grants Google Energy market-based rate authorization. This paves the way for the search giant to not only better manage its own energy costs, but to possibly add electricity marketer to its repertoire of services.

Regen absorbs $1.6 million to roll out solar-powered lights, stereos, and more (Green Beat)

Regen, maker of a compact solar panel called the ReNu used for powering audio equipment and household lights, and even charging phones, has just brought in $1.6 million of an anticipated $2 million round of equity, according to a filing with the SEC.

California solar startup and German industrial giant forge partnership (NY Times)

The German industrial giant Ferrostaal will use solar technology from the California startup eSolar in power plants to be built in Europe, the Middle East and South Africa. The partnership, announced on Thursday, comes a month after eSolar, which is backed by Google and other investors, signed an agreement with a Chinese industrial company to build solar power plants that would generate 2,000 megawatts of electricity.

Fallbrook's IPO: The bicycle tech maker looks to electric vehicles (earth2tech)

Emerging from its haunts as a bicycle tech developer, Fallbrook Technologies this week has joined Tesla Motors and Codexis as the latest in a spate of greentech ventures filing initial public offerings. Like Tesla, it's also the latest company to attempt to go public with no profits. The company -- which has raised some $55 million in financing since it formed in 2000 -- aims to raise $50 million through the planned IPO.

First Solar beats on revenue, profit but margins slump (earth2tech)

First Solar -- the thin film solar leader and barometer for solar stocks -- posted stronger than expected revenue and profit in the final quarter of 2009, defying some of the bearishness that had hounded the stock in recent months and suggesting that the company is navigating its way through a time of rising competition from more efficient solar modules. But weaker margins and unchanged guidance are giving some investors pause.