To Ingrid Coffin, living green means embracing products and lifestyles that do not deplete natural resources. At her home, the aptly named Blue Sky Ranch,” she practices sustainable behaviors that make living green a high priority. Among her efforts are the installation of five photovoltaic systems totaling 26 kW, organic gardening, composting and recycling. In rebuilding after the Cedar Fire, Ingrid literally recycled an entire house. After Blue Sky Ranch’s loss – a Sustainable Living community The Cedar Fire of October 2003 was the largest wildfire in California history, burning nearly 275,000 acres and taking 14 lives and nearly 2,300 residences. It is from the ashes of this tragedy that Blue Sky Ranch has emerged, promoting the practice of Regenerative Design not only to allow the surrounding ecosystem to revitalize itself but for the community to assist as a participant in its development. It is our intention that the solutions for healing incorporated here at benefit the inhabitants of both the natural and built environments.   Regenerative Design functions like a living organism, specifically adapted to a place and able to draw requirements for energy and water from the surrounding sun, wind and rain. Its inspiration is from nature; the beautiful terrain, landscape and flowers that surround the architecture.   Sustainability as currently practiced is primarily an exercise in efficiency. With Regenerative Design we do better. By using the health of the surrounding ecological system as the basis for design, we move beyond sustaining the environment to regenerating its health as well as our own.

In October 2003, the Cedar Fire destroyed more than 2500 structures in East County San Diego, including three of four houses where Ingrid Coffin and her extended family live, three of her well pumps and almost half of the vegetable and fruit trees on her property at Blue Sky Ranch in Lakeside. Following the wildfires, Ingrid Coffin was not sure if she had the will to rebuild for many reasons.

 Ingrid decided to go ahead and give it another try, and was, in fact, encouraged when she heard about the programs to rebuild utilizing energy efficient measures and photovoltaics. So, with the help of the energy efficiency portion of the Rebuild a Greener San Diego program, and special pricing offered by Kyocera Solar, Inc. her rebuilding is well under way and is 20 percent more energy efficient than Title 24 Standards.

At the same time, by incorporating five 5kW Kyocera Solar MyGen Photovoltaic Systems, Ingrid has been able to offset nearly 95 percent of the property’s load, which includes the irrigation of hundreds of trees and several gardens as well as the domestic water for the structures.

Call 1-877-779-7496 or email affiliate.solar@sunpowercorp.com, and one of SunPower’s customer service representatives will qualify you for the rebate (up to $2,000) and assign you for a home solar audit. Be sure to mention the Facebook Friends and Family Offer and AET Solar as your Premier Dealer.

“This new world record demonstrates SunPower’s ability to extend our lead in manufacturing the world’s highest efficiency solar cells,” said Bill Mulligan, vice president of technology and development for SunPower. “Our patented and proprietary, high-efficiency solar cell technology drives down the cost of solar energy by increasing the energy production from each solar panel.”

Improved cell efficiency reduces the levelized cost of energy by increasing the energy production from each wafer manufactured into a SunPower solar cell. For the same reason, increased efficiency reduces the cost per watt and cost per kilowatt-hour for feedstock and materials, depreciation and other manufacturing expenses, installation time, land and system operations, and related maintenance.

“As we celebrate SunPower’s 25th anniversary this year, I am thrilled to see the company achieve technology milestones that were inconceivable only a few years ago,” said Richard Swanson, SunPower founder and chief technology officer. “SunPower’s research and development and engineering teams have increased cell efficiency by a full four percentage points over the last five years while radically driving down manufacturing costs. We are extremely proud of their continued success.”

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — At the IEEE Honors Ceremony in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on Saturday, June 26, Richard Swanson, chief technical officer and co-founder of SunPower Corporation, was honored with the 2010 IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal.  The medal, sponsored by the Federation of Electric Power Companies, Japan, and the Semiconductor Research Foundation, Japan, recognized Swanson for the conception and commercialization of high-efficiency point-contact crystalline-silicon solar cell technology.

Swanson is internationally recognized for both his research and industry accomplishments. His work has addressed critical aspects of photovoltaic technologies to overcome limitations that slowed the progress of concepts moving from the laboratory to the manufacturing environment.  His areas of research have investigated the semiconductor properties of silicon relevant for better understanding the operation of silicon solar cells, helping pave the way for steady improvement in silicon solar cell performance.

“When SunPower was founded 25 years ago, solar was little more than a concept,” said Swanson.  “Today, it is within reach of becoming main stream throughout much of the world, and it is highly gratifying to be a part of this energy revolution.  SunPower has contributed to the phenomenal growth of solar, and I have been fortunate to work with extraordinary engineers to deliver, what is today, the planet’s most powerful solar technology.  It is my extreme privilege to accept the 2010 IEEE Jun-ichi Nishizawa Medal.”

An IEEE Fellow and member of the National Academy of Engineering, Swanson holds 15 U.S. patents. Past awards include the IEEE William R. Cherry Award for outstanding contributions to the photovoltaic field, the Becquerel Prize for Outstanding Merits in Photovoltaics from the European Commission and, most recently, The Economist’s Energy and Environmental Award for 2009.

Solar power has grown at a compound annual growth rate of more than 50 percent since 2000 from less than 200 megawatts of global installations annually to more than 7,000 megawatts in 2009. Since Swanson founded SunPower in 1985, the company has successfully researched methods of increasing the efficiency of solar cells and, as a result, the company last week announced a new world-record, full-scale solar cell with a sunlight to electricity conversion efficiency of 24.2 percent.

About SunPower

Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet’s most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. and SAN JOSE, Calif., June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Dow Jones & Company and SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) today announced that SunPower has been selected to install a high-efficiency solar power system totaling 4.1 megawatts at Dow Jones’ corporate offices in central New Jersey.

The system will include 3.6 megawatts of elevated solar panels above parking areas and a 522-kilowatt rooftop installation. When completed early next year, the system will be one of the nation’s largest solar power installations operating at a corporate site, and is expected to generate the equivalent of 15 percent of current electricity needs for Dow Jones’ South Brunswick campus.

“Renewable energy is part of a sustainable business plan for Dow Jones,” said Dean DelVecchio, the company’s chief information officer and chief administrative officer. “With solar energy, Dow Jones is helping the environment and its business at the same time.”

A publisher of news and business information around the globe, Dow Jones maintains a 200-acre campus on U.S. Route 1 in South Brunswick, N.J. Nearly 2,000 people work at the facility, Dow Jones’s largest.

At the site, SunPower is installing SunPower T5 Solar Roof Tile, the solar industry’s first non-penetrating rooftop product that combines a high-efficiency SunPower solar panel, frame and mounting system into a single pre-engineered unit. Tilted at a five-degree angle, the T5 Roof Tile system approximately doubles the energy generated per square meter compared with other systems that are mounted flat onto commercial rooftops.

“This solar system is one of many initiatives at Dow Jones intended to reduce waste, protect the environment and trim expenses. We will continue to seek smart solutions for the future of our business,” said Andy Schwartzberg, vice president for general administrative services at Dow Jones.

The system is being partially financed through PSE&G’s Solar Loan Program, through which PSE&G offers loans for solar power.

“SunPower offered turnkey design and installation services and high-efficiency solar technology to optimize the power generated by the system and the savings that Dow Jones will achieve on their electricity costs,” said Tom Leyden, managing director at SunPower. “We applaud their leadership in taking advantage of PSE&G’s Solar Loan Program. Clean, reliable solar power makes good sense today for businesses and our environment.”

About Dow Jones & Company

Dow Jones & Company (www.dowjones.com) is a News Corporation company (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV; www.newscorp.com) and a leading provider of global news and business information. Its principal products include The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, Dow Jones Factiva, Barron’s and MarketWatch. Through its Local Media Group, Dow Jones operates community-based newspapers and Web sites. Dow Jones also provides news content to television and radio stations.

About SunPower

Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet’s most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

SunPower’s Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not represent historical facts and may be based on underlying assumptions. The company uses words and phrases such as “will” and “expected” to identify forward-looking statements in this press release, including forward-looking statements regarding:  (a) construction schedule; (b) power generation; (c) customer savings; and (d) environmental benefits. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available to the company as of the date of this release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond the company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties such as:  (i) unanticipated construction difficulties or potential delays in the project implementation process, including securing necessary permits, licenses or other governmental approvals; (ii) the risk of continuation of supply of products and components from suppliers; (iii) unanticipated problems with deploying the system on the sites; (iv) actual electricity generation; (v) the actual energy consumption rate; (vi) unexpected changes in utility service rates; (vii) variations in carbon dioxide emissions reductions; and (viii) other risks described in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 3, 2010, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company’s views as of any subsequent date, and the company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.

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OF SUN-TRACKING SOLAR PANELS ON JUNE 3 

Tecate Mission International, a well-known outreach ministry on the U.S. side of the Tecate border crossing, will celebrate the installation of an energy-saving array of nine racks of sun-tracking solar panels with a “Solar Energy Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony” at 3 pm on Thursday, June 3.   

Civic and government dignitaries from both sides of the border are expected to attend, along with officials of rural fire departments and local business leaders. The public is invited to the event, which will feature music and refreshments. Representatives of AET Solar will be on hand to explain how the system works and answer any questions on how solar systems can reduce monthly utility bills. 
 
“Compared to fixed mounting systems, these tracking systems are able to follow the sun throughout the day, turning the panels from east to west, and providing as much as 30% more savings than fixed arrays,” said Bob Carson, president of AET Solar of Santee, which installed the system.  

The sun’s heat moves liquid from side to side, allowing gravity to turn the Track Rack™ and follow the sun.  “No motors, no gears and no controls to fail,” Carson emphasized. 

Dan Bender, director of ministry development at the Tecate Mission, offers this invitation: “We’ve been a proud part of this community since 1962, so come help us celebrate as we publicly declare the value of stewardship by conserving the resources that God has given us.” 

A total of 108 panels are mounted on the nine racks.  Three solar trackers with 36 panels are installed near the upper campus just off Highway 188 that links Highway 94 to the Tecate border crossing.  Six trackers with 72 panels are installed on a lower parcel just yards away from the international border.  

The panels are produced by SunPower Corp., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar panels. The tracking system structure is manufactured by Zomeworks Corp. of Albuquerque, NM.  AET Solar, a premier dealer in San Diego County for SunPower products, installed the system at Tecate.    
 
 
The arrays are mounted on 18-foot long masts, six feet into the ground and 12 feet above ground.  The arrays are installed at the top of the masts and are 12 feet tall, making the top of the array 18 feet off the ground. 

Although the state of California has not set up a system to rate sun-trackers, SDG&E has estimated the sun-tracking system at the Tecate Mission will generate 30% more energy than would flat fixed panels, according to Kim Carson, AET Solar general manager and son of the owner.  

He calculates the total output of the nine arrays will generate a minimum of 154 kilowatts of power per day.  

“It is a 28 kilowatt system, and based on an standard rating system average of 5.5 sun hours a day, the yield is 154 kilowatts,” he said.  “Of course, we are positive the Tecate Mission arrays will beat that substantially by being exposed to an average of 8 to 10 hours of sun a day.”  

In just the first 23 days of operation, the system has generated 5,416 kilowatt hours.  “This kind of output should provide a 100-percent offset and completely abate the mission’s electical bill,” Carson said. 

“We feel good about this project,” he added.  “The mission is putting the money their donors have contributed to use that will pay long-term dividends.  It’s good stewardship.” 

Tecate Mission International is located at 23945 Tecate Mission Road in Tecate, California.  Facilities include Tecate Christian School and mission offices. 

 
For more information about Tecate Mission, go to www.tecatemission.org

  
For more information about AET Solar, go to www.AETsunpower.com

  
For more information about SunPower, go www.sunpower.com  

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BENEFITS OF SUNPOWER SOLAR PANELS

Highest Efficiency

SunPower^TM Solar Panels are the most efficient photovoltaic panels on the market today.

More Power

Our panels produce more power in the same amount of space—up to 50% more than conventional designs and 100% more than thin film solar panels.

Reduced Installation Cost

More power per panel means fewer panels per install. This saves both time and money.

Reliable and Robust Design

Proven materials, tempered front glass, and a sturdy anodized frame allow panel to operate reliably in multiple mounting configurations. 

Residential

Backed by our 25-year warranty, SunPower’s installed solar panels promise lasting value and peace of mind for your San Diego solar home. 

Commercial

Designed specifically for use in grid-connected application such as San Diego commercial rooftops and powerplants, SunPower commercial solar panels combine the industry’s highest efficiency solar cells with innovative design.