In This Issue:

California wind farm endangers protected bird species; RENEWABLE ENERGY FOCUS California utilities top solar power rankings; SunPower CEO expects profits to shrink as solar prices plunge; Protesters gather at California solar project site; Sunpower launches ultra efficient solar panels; DOE releases $70M in funding for geothermal projects; SDG&E submits smart grid plan to CPUC; EDF releases criteria to evaluate smart grid performance of California utilities; Nevada Energy to launch Renewable Transmission Initiative; NOTABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY PrOJECTS ANd DEALS- GE to invest in California solar thermal company; and Cenergy, Greenleaf team up for Kern County solar project.

California wind farm endangers protected bird species

Los Angeles Times - Jun 6

Nearly 70 endangered golden eagles have been killed every year over the past three decades by flying into wind turbines blades at the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area near San Francisco, raising concerns that California's push for renewable energy could prove hazardous to California's wildlife. State wildlife officials say the East Bay Regional Park District would need 167 breeding pairs of golden eagles to mitigate the deaths caused by wind turbines, though only 60 breeding pairs live in the area. Thousands of bats and about 440,000 birds are killed due to wind turbine collisions nationwide each year, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.