Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and KKR (NYSE:KKR), as expected announced plans to jointly acquire a portfolio of solar projects in California from Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Sharp (SHCAY.PK).

Southwestern Energy (NYSE:SWN) sets an oil and natural gas production target of 15% growth for 2012. It is aiming to boost output in the Fayetteville Shale and Marcellus Shale by significant amounts. The energy concern says it will make capital investments of $2.3 billion in 2012, up from $2.1 billion in 2011.

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ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) received a permit to develop the first commercial oil well in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. The reserve has seen no production given the arctic weather, lack of infrastructure, and environmental restrictions, though it’s been open to drilling since 1998.

Canadian Solar (NASDAQ:CSIQ) shares are up dramatically after TransCanada (NYSE:TRP) announces an agreement to acquire an 86 megawatts solar project portfolio for $470 million Canadian ($455 million). Under the terms of the deal, TransCanada will provide 9 solar projects that are slated to start between late 2012 and mid-2013.

A123 Systems (NASDAQ:AONE) gains after reaching a deal to provide its Grid Battery System to Hawaiian utility Maui Electric. The system is designed to provide 1million watts of power for an hour, so as to reduce the peak energy load for one of Maui’s transformers. 27.7% of A123′s float was shorted as of Nov. 30.

Cobalt Energy (NYSE:CIE) soars after the company joins BP, Total (NYSE:TOT), Eni (NYSE:E), Statoil (NYSE:STO), and Repsol (REPYF.PK) in signing deals with Angola’s government. The deals are to explore for oil off the country’s coast. Shares took off last week after a Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO) 8-K disclosure increased hope that a deal was imminent.

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