Reports Paint Bright Picture of US Solar Growth

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03/11/2011 08:28 AM       Reports Paint Bright Picture of US
Solar Growth SustainableBusiness.com News Two reports paint a bright
picture of the current and future state of the U.S. Solar market. The U.S.
solar energy industry had a banner year in 2010 with the industry's total
market value growing 67% from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010,
according to new figures released by the by the Solar Energy Industries
Association (SEIA). The U.S. Solar Market Insight: Year-in-Review 2010
found that solar was the fastest growing energy sector in 2010, contrasting
overall U.S. GDP growth of less than 3%. In total, 878 megawatts (MW) of
photovoltaic (PV) capacity and 78 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) were
installed in the U.S. in 2010. In addition, more than 65,000 homes and
businesses added solar water heating (SWH) or solar pool heating (SPH)
systems. The U.S. PV market made the most significant strides in 2010,
more than doubling installation totals from 2009. This expansion was driven
by the Federal section 1603 Treasury program, completion of significant
utility-scale projects, expansion of new state markets and declining
technology costs. The solar industry supported 93,000 renewable energy
jobs in 2010, according to the report. Other highlights include: •
Sixteen states installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from four states
in 2007. • Utility PV installations more than tripled in 2010 to reach 242
MW, up from 70 MW brought online in 2009.  • U.S. manufacturing of PV
components increased substantially year-over-year for wafers (97% growth),
cells (81% growth), and modules (62% growth).  • The 75-MW Martin Next
Generation Solar Energy Center was completed in 2010; it is the largest U.S.
CSP plant to come online in nearly 20 years.  • Cumulative CSP capacity from
all 17 operating plants reached 507 MW in 2010.  • For the first time, the
federal government approved permits for seven CSP plants on public land,
which add 3,560 MW of new capacity. Record Growth in U.S. Solar Market
Expected for 2011 Despite constituting less than 6% of worldwide
installations in 2010, the United States is well positioned to become the
focus of the global photovoltaic (PV) industry in the coming year, according
to a whitepaper released by solar power developer Enfinity. "The U.S. PV
Market in 2011" analyzes the key market drivers in the U.S. solar PV
industry and predicts that 2011 will be a vital growth year for the
country's solar market. The paper identifies three factors that provide
the US with long-term potential for sustainable PV market growth: • The
United States is home to an excellent photovoltaic resource. While the
Southwest provides the highest insolation, or exposure to the sun's rays,
even northeastern states offer insolation that is, at a minimum, equal to or
greater than the resources of Germany. • There is ample availability of land
for PV development. The western states, in particular, have large tracts of
open land that could support large PV installations. • Electricity demand in
the United States is the highest in the world. Electricity consumption in
the United States is roughly 7.2 times the total in Germany and nearly 15
times as much as Spain. In 2010, U.S. PV installations more than doubled to
an estimated 820 MW, up from 435 MW in 2009. While other markets such as
Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic have faced drastic shifts, the United
States has seen steady, if incremental, year-over-year growth.  Shayle
Kann, managing director of solar at GTM Research, said, "It is difficult not
to be bullish about the U.S. PV market. The economics have never made more
sense. As PV system costs fall, electricity prices rise, and project finance
returns to the table, the U.S. market is inching closer to reaching its
potential as the center of global PV demand." The white paper is available
at the link below. Website: www.enfinitycorp.com/lps/pvmarket2011/ «
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