Nandini Chandrashekar, DH News Service,Bangalore:

Power cuts at the Government

Remote villages of Deh Tiko Baran in Jamshoro district will be provided electricity generated through solar technology at a cost of Rs10 million.

Selco

The German solar industry expects a recovery in the second half of this year after a string of earnings showed on Thursday the sector has written off the first three months as the low point of 2009.

California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co on Wednesday announced an expanded agreement with solar thermal power company BrightSource Energy Inc for more than 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of clean, solar energy.

Power generation from renewable sources such as wind turbines, solar cells and biomass plays a small but important part in satisfying total electricity demand around the world, and is growing at an exponential rate thanks to generous public subsidies and government support.

The Karnataka Energy Department plans to set up at least one lakh solar roofs in the next five years to emerge as the number one in the country in terms of renewable energy usage.

Australia's government will spend A$4.5 billion (US$3.4 billion) in partnership with private investors to build up to eight commercial power stations testing clean coal and solar technologies, Treasurer Wayne Swan said on Tuesday.

A lack of project funding threatens to undermine the solar industry's already fragile growth prospects, two of the sector's biggest players said on Tuesday, reporting profits that missed market forecasts.