Research
August 31, 2010
Renewable Energy Creates More Jobs than Fossil Fuels
A study from Berkeley's Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory found that all renewable energy technologies create more jobs per unit of energy than fossil fuels. A 30% by 2030 Renewable Energy Standard combined with energy efficiency standards would create a net benefit of more than four million full-time equivalent job-years by 2030. To read the report and view the model used in the analysis, click here.
August 16, 2010
Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies Dwarf Subsidies for Renewable Energy
A recent analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA) found that global fossil fuel consumption subsidies grew to over $500 billion in 2008, a massive increase from $342 billion in 2007. These subsidies distort energy markets, inhibiting growth in the renewable energy sector. Phasing out these subsidies would reduce primary energy demand by 5.8% in 2020, causing a decline in carbon emissions by 6.9%.
August 02, 2010
Solar and Nuclear Costs - The Historic Crossover
A recently released study from Duke University reports that in North Carolina in 2010, electricity generated from solar PV became cheaper per kWh than energy generated by nuclear facilities. The study projects that the price of electricity from PV will continue to decline while the cost of nuclear energy will rise.
May 19, 2010
Policy Impact Analysis: Treasury Grant and Manufacturing Tax Credit
EuPD Research analyzes the potential economic impact of extending the Treasury grant program and allowing solar manufacturing facilities to claim the section 48 investment tax credit. The study finds that the U.S. solar industry could support an additional 200,000 jobs in 2016 with both policy changes.
April 15, 2010
US Solar Industry Year in Review 2009
U.S. solar continued its upward trajectory in 2009. Get the details on activities in PV, CSP and Solar Thermal as well as updates on other important developments in the solar industry in this report.
Need more information? See the supplemental charts.
October 21, 2009
PV Cost Trends
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has released Tracking the Sun II, an update to its previous PV cost trends report. This latest release tracks the full installed cost of PV systems in the U.S. from 1998 through 2008 and shows a average cost decline of $0.30 per watt from 2007 to 2008.
July 23, 2009
U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008
This report from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council provides final capacity addition figures for the solar energy market in 2008. Details include a national total for solar capacity additions for photovoltiacs (PV), solar water heating for 2007 and solar pool heating collectors. The report also provides a state-by-state breakdown for installations of PV capacity.
March 24, 2009
Residential Photovoltaic Financing
This NREL report summarizes the uses of federal, state, and utility incentives to finance residential PV systems. "Solar Photovoltaic Financing: Residential Solar Deployment" shows how the variations in local incentives, solar resources and electricity prices effect the payoff of an investment in PV equipment.
March 19, 2009
US Solar Industry Year in Review 2008
The U.S. solar energy industry grew to record levels in 2008. PV Capacity grew by 342 MW, solar water heating capacity grew by 139 MW-Th, and solar pool heating grew by 762 MW-Th. To learn more on what happend in 2008, view the full report here.
February 19, 2009
"Tracking the Sun"
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report, "Tracking the Sun," shows the declining cost of photovoltaic systems from 1998 to 2007. The report shows that most cost savings have incured in non-module costs such as installation. Over the period examined the average installed cost of a PV system has declined nearly 28 percent.
January 28, 2009
California Doubled Photovoltaic Installations in 2008
The California Public Utilities Commission's January 2009 Staff Progress Report shows that grid-connected installations of photovoltaic (PV) systems doubled from 2007 to 2008. The 160 megawatts (MW) installed in 2008 brings the total grid-connected installed capacity in California up to 441 MW.
January 26, 2009
Financing Non-Residential PV
"Finacing Non-Residential Photovoltiac Projects: Options and Implications," from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, summarizes recent innovations in non-residential photovoltaic system finance.
January 05, 2009
The Value Proposition of Solar Water Heating in California
This report describes the potential of solar water heaters in California to save natural gas, avoide greenhouse gas emissions, and create jobs.
December 12, 2008
History of Solar Investment
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has published "A Historical Analysis of Investment in Solar Energy Technologies (2000-2007)." This paper explores the private and public investment in solar energy and how it has fueled industry growth. It shows that investment in solar technologies increased at an annual rate of 145% from 2004 to 2007. At the same time, government support as a share of total investment dropped from 50% to 4% of the total.
November 28, 2008
Supply Curves for Rooftop Photovoltaics
"Supply Curves for Rooftop Solar PV-Generated Electricity for the United States" shows methods for comparing the relative costs of PV electricity capacity based on solar resources. The report estimates total avilable rooftop capacity potential of 661,000 megawatts and generating potential of 819,000,000 megawatt-hours.
November 24, 2008
Draft Florida Renewables Assessment Study
A draft of the "Florida Renewables Assessment Study" is now available on the Florida Public Service Commission's web site. The report covers many renewable technologies including photovoltaic, concentrating solar power, and solar water heating (for systems larger than 2 MW-thermal equivalent). The draft report shows solar energy systems are cost competative under several future energy scenarios, and shows a negative cost for solar water heating in most scenarios.
November 18, 2008
Duke University report on jobs and greenhouse gas reductions
The Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness at Duke University has released "Manufacturing Climate Solutions: Carbon-Reducing Technologies and U.S. Jobs." Chapter 4 of the report focuses on concentrating solar power and discusses how CSP can help replace lost jobs in the auto industry.
October 22, 2008
Solar ABCs releases three reports
The Solar America Board of Codes and Standards has released the first three in a series of reports on laws affecting solar installations. The reports explore interconnection procedures, utility external disconnect requirements, and solar access laws. You can read the full reports at the links below.
Comparison of the Four Leading Small Generator Interconnection Procedures
September 23, 2008
McCain and Obama Supporters Back Renewable Energy
A poll conducted for the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland shows supporters of both presidential candidates support more renewable energy by wide margins. Supporters of Senator John McCain (86%), Senator Barack Obama (89%), and undecideds (83%) all believe the country should emphasize more installation of solar and wind energy.
September 15, 2008
Economic Impacts of an Eight-Year Extension of the ITC
An economic study issued by Navigant Consulting, Inc. shows that more than 1.2 million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, and $232 billion in investment would be supported in the U.S. by the solar energy sector alone through 2016 if Congress extends the solar investment tax credit (ITC) for 8 years. The study covers all three major solar technologies, photovoltaic, solar water heating, and concentrating solar power.
Download the full report (PDF).
September 01, 2008
Photovoltaic Power to Provide 14 Percent of Global Electricity and nearly 10 Million Jobs by 2030
The European Photovoltaic Industry Association and Greenpeace have released the fifth edition of "Solar Generation." The report details global installed capacity of photovoltaic (PV) power systems, and provides projections for future installations and industry jobs.
August 19, 2008
U.S. Solar Market Trends 2007
This Interstate Renewable Energy Council report details photovoltaic (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), and solar water heating installations in 2007 and shows the strong positive impact of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
August 11, 2008
Poll Shows Broad Support for Renewable Energy
A new poll conducted for the League of Conservation Voters shows that 83 percent of likely voters support investing in clean, renewable energy.
Read the press release and full results.
August 07, 2008
NDN Green Project, "Solar Energy: The Case for Action" (August 1, 2008)
Solar energy has the power to reduce pollution, create jobs, spur domestic investment, and reduce the impact of rising (and increasingly volatile) fossil fuel prices. To fully realize these benefits, we need appropriate federal policies and incentives such as the Investment Tax Credit, a Renewable Energy Standard with a solar set aside, grid modernization, and others.
May 08, 2008
Environment America Research and Policy Center, "On the Rise: Solar Thermal Power and the Fight Against Global Warming"
Concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies—which use the sun's heat to generate electricity—can make a large contribution toward reducing global warming pollution in the United States, and do so quickly and at a reasonable cost. CSP can also reduce other environmental impacts of electric power production, while sparking economic development and creating jobs.
May 03, 2008
Photovoltaic Land Requirements
Paul Denholm and Robert Margolis of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory presented "Impacts of Array Configuration on Land-Use for Large-Scale Photovoltaic Deployment in the United States" at Solar 2008. This paper shows the relatively modest land required for PV-generated electricity especially for roof-mounted systems. For fixed-axis systems, 100 square-meters of PV panels could supply 100% of the average American's electricity needs.
February 27, 2008
Renewable System Interconnection Study
As part of the Solar America Initiative, the department of energy issued a series of 15 reports that cover the following issues:
- Distributed systems technology development
- Advanced distribution systems integration
- System-level tests and demonstrations
- Technical and market analysis
- Resource assessment
- Codes, standards, and regulatory implementation
See all the reports here.
February 13, 2008
Navigant Consulting's Economic Impact of the Investment Tax Credit
This analysis shows that failure to extend the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) could result in 39,400 fewer job opportunities in the photovoltaic (PV) sector alone.
January 04, 2008
Photovoltaics and Emissions Reductions
This analysis shows that photovoltaics can prevent at least 89 percent of harmful emissions by displacing traditional electricity generation. "Emissions from Photovoltaic Life Cycles" covers greenhouse gas, criteria pollutant and heavy metal emissions. The study was performed by researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University and Utrecht University.
March 30, 2007
Solar Water Heating, Fossil Fuel Use, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
"Technical Potential of Solar Water Heating to Reduce Fossil Fuel Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States" explores the the promising role solar water heating has to play in our energy future. Water heaters are responsible for 8% of all resendential electricity use and 8% of total natural gas use in the United States. In total, water heating is responsible for 3.5% of total energy use in the US. Solar water heaters could save 147 trillion BTU and 42.9 million megawatt-hours of electricity.
