Our latest webinar featured Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Galen Barbose sharing hot-off-the-presses findings of the 5th annual Tracking the Sun report on solar price trends in the U.S. The report confirmed that solar has never been a better deal for Americans. 2011 brought another year of double digit cost declines, and that downward trajectory continued in the first half of 2012.
The average installed price of residential and commercial PV systems completed in 2011 range from $6.1/W for smaller projects to $4.9/W for larger projects, an 11-14% decrease from the year before. Installed prices fell an additional 3-7% in the first half of 2012. Looking farther back, installed PV prices have declined an average of 5-7% per year from nearly $12/W in 1998. But prices have been undergoing a particularly dramatic decline since 2009. Galen’s slides are available to download here or watch the presentation for yourself . . .
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William Nelson of Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) and Brad Browery of SRECTrade know Solar Renewable Energy (SREC) Markets like the back of their hands. Maybe better. They joined us for the latest edition of our Get Some Sun webinar series to offer their insights on the diverse and often complex nature of SREC markets. If you missed it or liked it so much you want to watch it again, here is the full recording for your viewing pleasure …
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Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Doug Koplow, energy subsidy expert extrordinaire and founder of EarthTrack.net, for a webinar to help us all better understand how exactly fossil fuels are subsidized.
In the hyperbole and questionable headlines of an election year, some facts and figures are refreshing. One of the highlights of Doug’s presentation – this handy slide: » Read the rest of this entry «
It’s summertime; our favorite time of the year, when the sun shines strong and the days are long. With state legislatures on summer break, Vote Solar takes time over the summer months to prepare for the next years campaigns, and to exchange ideas and information with other organizations working to advance clean energy in this country.
We thought you might want to get in on the conversation.
The Vote Solar Get Some Sun webinar series is back!
Our free monthly webinars will bring you up to speed on the hottest solar issues, from the latest technological advances to updates from the frontlines of the policy battles we’re fighting to give our kids a future where solar energy is a mainstream energy resource.
Webinars are held Wednesdays at 10 AM Pacific Time/1 PM Eastern Time – here’s what’s coming up next:
Understanding U.S. Energy Subsidies
with Doug Koplow, EarthTrack.net
Ever wished you had a better response to those who criticize solar subsidies? Energy expert Doug Koplow will show how decades of federal and state policies have stacked up in favor of fossil fuels.
August 22nd
Details & registration here.
Looking Back on the Stimulus: What did it mean for clean energy?
with Michael Grunwald, TIME Magazine
Much has been reported on the Recovery Act’s sweeping provisions for renewables, yet few truly understand this ambitious and controversial piece of legislation. Michael Grunwald, journalist and recent author of The NEW New Deal, will share his account of one of the most sweeping bills in U.S. history― how it happened, how it’s transforming our energy economy, and how it’s being distorted by the Washington fun house.
August 29th
Details & registration here.
Solar 101 – A Conversation with Vote Solar:
We’re fighting for solar-friendly policies in states nationwide, and we can’t do it without you. Vote Solar staff will talk through policy trends, our priority campaigns, and ways you can help us win. If you have burning solar policy or advocacy questions for us, now’s your chance to ask!
September 26th
Details & registration here.
Remember to check out the complete lineup of webinars here!
*Photo courtesy of SEIA 2012.
This morning Paula Mints from Navigant Consulting shared her insights on the latest global solar PV market trends with us – a timely webinar topic given the highly publicized fallout from those very global market dynamics. Paula put a firm kibosh on assertions that the aforementioned Solyndra failure heralds the end of solar: “We have started something in this industry, and it will move forward.” Given the magnitude of what we’re undertaking, that path forward won’t be without its challenges. It’s the nature of revolutionizing the global power industry. » Read the rest of this entry «
In this economic climate, every state wants new jobs. And harnessing the sun for electricity creates more of those coveted jobs per megawatt-hour than any other energy resource. These are high quality jobs across a broad range of education requirements, salary levels and fields. The majority (about 75%) are related to construction and installation, representing local solar jobs that are by their nature virtually non-outsourceable – a quality that we think is mighty valuable. But it’s that remaining 25%, the manufacturing jobs, that really captures the American imagination. » Read the rest of this entry «
Last week our Get Some Sun webinar featured the Center for Resource Solutions’ Robin Quarrier covering proposed “Green Guides” updates from the Federal Trade Commission. Robin’s presentation was a real eye-opener for our team and should be required viewing for anyone involved in marketing solar and other renewable generation here in the U.S. So read on . . . » Read the rest of this entry «
Photo credit: DaveNeukirch via Flickr
On a recent Get Some Sun webinar, our own Kelly Foley was joined by Thomas Hoff of Clean Power Research and Dr Richard Perez of SUNY–Albany discussing their cutting-edge research on PV output variability and its impact on the grid. Full video of the presentation is available here.
It’s an issue that’s becoming increasingly critical as grid operators and utilities plan for high levels of PV penetration. Unlike the fossil fuel generators around which our existing energy infrastructure has been designed, solar generation fuel is inherently variable. The sun rises and sets. Clouds happen. » Read the rest of this entry «
A hearty thanks to the intrepid experts who presented our two most recent Get Some Sun weekly webinars.
January 26: We had Nate Blair from NREL walk us through some of the national lab’s many tools for quantifying PV potential and conducting other invaluable solar analysis. All of the seven tools he described are publicly available. Use them! We do. » Read the rest of this entry «
Our second installment in the Get Some Sun webinar series was with Paul Douglas from the California Public Utilities Commission. Paul reviewed the details of the new Reverse Auction Mechanism process which was recently approved by the CPUC and expected to result in 1000 MW of new renewable projects in the next few years. A recording of the webinar is now available here* and the slides are here (pdf). » Read the rest of this entry «
