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It’s Now Official: U.S. Solar Industry Has Record-Shattering Year In 2013
What would Alexandre Edmond Becquerel be thinking now? In 1839, at the age of just 19, Becquerel built the world’s first photovoltaic panel, later inspiring the imaginations of millions of people worldwide, including legendary scientist Albert Einstein. Still, it took another 115 years before Bell Labs invented the first modern silicon solar cell. By comparison, it’s no stretch to say that the solar timeline has rocketed forward at warp speed in recent years.
Solar Market Insight Report 2013 Year in Review
U.S. Solar Market Insight™ is a collaboration between the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) and GTM Research that brings high-quality, solar-specific analysis and forecasts to industry professionals in the form of quarterly and annual reports. Released March 5, 2014.
SEIA 2014 Policy Priorities
Summary of SEIA's Policy Priorities for 2014, including federal, state and regulatory priorities.
Solar Homes Fetch Market Premium According to National Lab
A new study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that homes in California with rooftop solar installations sell for higher prices than comparable homes without solar. The authors find that the value of homes increases by $5,900 for every kW of solar installed, though this premium decreases by 9% per year of system age.
U.S. Solar Industry Records Explosive Growth In Third Quarter
When it comes to renewable energy, you could call it the “shot heard round the world.” According to a new report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. installed 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) in Q3 2013, up 20 percent over Q2 2013 and 35 percent over Q3 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residential PV installations.
Solar Market Insight 2013 Q3
The U.S. installed 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) in Q3 2013, up 20 percent over Q2 2013 and 35 percent over Q3 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residential PV installations. Even more importantly, 2013 is likely to be the first time in more than 15 years that the U.S. installs more solar capacity than world leader Germany, according to GTM Research forecasts.
NREL Report Provides Most Granular View of Soft Costs to Date
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a report that breaks down the ‘soft costs’ associated with the installation of residential and commercial photovoltaic systems in greater detail than ever before, with detailed looks at customer acquisition and system design costs, as well as permitting, inspection and interconnection costs.
Main Street, Not Wall Street, is Growing Solar Energy
Since 2000, more than 1,460 MW of residential solar installations have been installed across the country and in 2012 alone, rooftop solar installations nearly doubled the installed capacity added in 2010. These growth numbers are great, but who’s behind it? Your first thought might be the wealthy Wall Street bankers or celebrities in Hollywood, but you’d be mistaken.
Why DG World Needs The Grid More Than Ever
The rapid growth of rooftop solar has fueled an important debate about the future of our electric power system. And for good reason. Affordable, onsite solar power—aka distributed generation (DG)—offers electric customers something they’ve never had before: choice of where their power comes from and control over costs. The implications for the electric power system are profound and transformational as they point to a more decentralized future.
Study Shows Reduction in U.S. PV Installation Labor Costs Possible
A new study from the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Georgia Tech Research Institute finds that U.S PV installation labor costs can be decreased from $0.49/watt to $0.29/watt by utilizing installation best practices. Researchers studied installation practices at 26 sites in the U.S. and Germany to determine current practices and future opportunities.