Energy Update

Feb 9 (Reuters) - Standard and Poor's cut the credit ratings of four U.S. regional banks by one notch on Tuesday, citing heavy exposure to energy loans whose credit quality has deteriorated over the past year due to depressed oil prices.

Working with partners around the world, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory have completed five years of work toward helping establish an international quality standard for manufacturing solar PV modules.

Ormat Technologies on Feb 4 said that it has reached commercial operation of Plant 4 in the Olkaria III complex in Kenya, increasing the complex total generating capacity by 29 MW to 139 MW.

Xcel Energy recently said it plans to call for $6 billion in wind and solar energy investment as part of what it says will be Minnesota’s most cost-effective way to comply with the Clean Power Plan, the nation’s first ever carbon emission reduction rule for existing power plants.