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-----Original Message-----
From: Rebecca Van [mailto:rvan@tnag.net]
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:58 PM
To: Monty
Subject: Solar Leaders Applaud New PV Cost Study That Shows Government
Policies Reduce Installed Costs, Expand U.S. Solar Market
http://www.electroiq.com/index/display/pv-wire-news-display/136728968.html
Solar Leaders Applaud New PV Cost Study That Shows Government Policies
Reduce Installed Costs, Expand U.S. Solar Market Today researchers at
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab released "Tracking the Sun II: The Installed
Cost of Photographs in the U.S. from 1998 -- 2008." The new report found
that the average cost of going solar in the U.S. declined by more than 30
percent from 1998 to 2008, a trend that can be largely attributed to the
success of market-building policies at the state and local level. Findings
also show that, after a three-year plateau, costs decreased by 3.6 percent
from 2007 to 2008, marking a pivotal year for the American solar industry.
The full report may be downloaded at
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/emp/re-pubs.html. Solar advocates from the Vote
Solar Initiative, the Solar Alliance and the Solar Energy Industries
Association issued the following statements in response to the report.
"The bottom line is that affordable solar is no longer a vision for the
future, it's very much here now, ready to be a significant part of our
nation's energy mix," said Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote
Solar Initiative, a national grassroots organization focused on bringing
solar energy into the mainstream. "This all means there has never been a
better time for energy customers to go solar or for our government leaders
to invest in building a new solar economy." "This report confirms that
as a policy investment, solar is one of the best values for the American
taxpayer," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy
Industries Association, the industry's national trade association based in
Washington, D.C. "This year we've already seen solar PV panel prices drop
another 17 percent. Congress must prioritize the use of solar in the current
energy bill, which will stimulate further investments in manufacturing and
installation of solar equipment. This in turn will create good-paying jobs,
while bringing the cost of solar in line with traditional sources allowing
more consumers to go solar now." "Smart solar policies are intended to
build self-sustaining, strong markets that drive installed costs down.
Berkeley Lab once again shows that these policies can and do work. In states
like California and New Jersey that have committed to supporting renewables,
solar energy has in fact become more accessible for consumers and created
strong local green economies," said Carrie Cullen Hitt, president of the
Solar Alliance, a state-focused alliance of the solar industry.
"Tracking in the Sun" is the most comprehensive cost analysis of
grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the U.S. This second edition analyzes
data from more than 52,000 residential and non-residential PV systems that
were installed between 1998 and 2008. In 2008, the U.S. solar market
experienced record growth, nearly doubling the amount of grid-connected PV
installed annually. Key findings of "Tracking the Sun II" include:
Average installed costs as paid by the system owner prior to receipt of any
incentives, declined from $10.80 per watt (W) in 1998 to $7.5/W in 2008,
equivalent to an average annual reduction of $0.3/W, or 3.6 percent per year
in real 2008 dollars. The primary driver over that 10-year period was a
reduction in non-module costs such as the cost of labor, marketing,
overhead, inverters, and the balance of systems. In contrast, the decline
in costs from $7.8/W in 2007 to $7.5/W in 2008 is primarily attributable to
wholesale module costs, which decreased by approximately $0.5/W over this
period. PV installations benefit from significant economies of scale,
suggesting support for larger systems and larger markets drives down costs.
The installed cost of solar varies widely by state with low costs found in
Arizona, California, and New Jersey, an indicator that more mature markets
driven by strong incentives help reduce the cost of solar. Total after-tax
incentives from federal, state and local governments also declined from 2007
to 2008; the decreased incentives outpaced the drop in installed costs
leading to a slight rise in the net installed cost of both residential and
commercial systems. Though the report only analyzes trends through the end
of 2008, the continued decline of module prices and improved federal
incentives for solar energy in 2009 mean there has never been a better time
for Americans to go solar. About the Vote Solar Initiative: Vote
Solar is a non-profit grassroots organization working to fight climate
change and foster economic opportunity by bringing solar energy into the
mainstream. Since 2002 Vote Solar has engaged in state, local and federal
advocacy campaigns to remove regulatory barriers and implement the key
policies needed to bring solar to scale. www.votesolar.org About SEIA:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national
trade association of solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry,
SEIA works to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by
expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and
educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Learn more at
www.seia.org. About the Solar Alliance: The Solar Alliance is a
state-focused association of solar equipment manufacturers, integrators, and
financiers specifically working with state administrators, legislators and
utilities to establish cost-effective solar policies and programs.
www.solaralliance.org A service of YellowBrix, Inc. Photovoltaics
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