Greentech Media

General Electric Energy Financial Services leads the round with a $2.5 million investment in the concentrated photovoltaic solar startup

The company will boost its hybrid-panel production in Mexico and finalize a planned joint venture to produce amorphous silicon thin films.

The Japanese solar firm has built a thin-film production line and is constructing another 480-megawatt factory for 2010. It also is testing concentrating-solar-power systems in Spain and Italy.

Raising money will be tough for startups and public companies, and the greentech world could see "big-name cleantech startups implode" in a depressed economy.

The financial market crisis has made this a hellish week for solar companies – even for thin-film solar star First Solar. GE saw a 22 percent profit decline in the third quarter, but did brisk business in energy.

The country's utility signed up for a 120-megawatt wind-energy project while a severe drought hampers its hydro-power production.

A new Greentech Media report analyzes the technologies, players and funding in the emerging ocean power industry that generates energy from waves and tides.

German solar manufacturer cites poor market conditions in decision to end its on-again, off-again plans to go public.

While the financial crisis keeps folks nervous, Novozymes scores $12.3 million to make cheaper biofuel enzymes, Mascoma grabs $49.5 million to build a cellulosic ethanol plant and a U.N. agency says biofuel subsidies and policies are pushing food prices up.

A new research report from the DOE found that the energy output saved by LED lighting could equal the output of 27 coal-fired plants.

Startup Principle Power is raising $20 million and working to place about 30 wind turbines off the Oregon coast.

The startup joins a growing number of smart-meter technology developers that are attracting hefty investments.

UPDATED 6:15 PM: The solar startup, which has lined up two customers, is discussing its solar technology publicly for the first time.

As beleaguered financial markets make it tough to borrow money from banks or raise cash on the public markets, more solar companies could be forced to turn to private-equity firms for help.

Delegations from Germany and Spain are meeting with officials, utilities and renewable-energy businesses in California, Oregon and Nevada to scout out new technologies and development deals in solar, wind and geothermal.

Privately owned Ausra and Solar Power Partners nabbed new investments while publicly traded Chinese car and battery maker BYD enticed Warren Buffett's company into buying a 10-percent stake.

The Seattle-based company said it has recapitalized as part of a plan to restructure the company. CEO John Plaza said he hopes to resume operations as soon as possible.

The company plans to complete a factory building in Maryland but has decided against spending $67 million to buy equipment and other fixtures for production. Is this a sign that solar industry is facing an oversupply?

UPDATED 5:55 PM. President Bush signed a bill to extend renewable tax credits after intense lobbying by solar, wind and other renewable energy advocates for more than a year.

Solar-panel maker Suntech Power is getting into the solar-power financing and project-management business with the purchase of solar installer EI Solutions and by starting a joint venture with MMA Renewable Ventures.