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ptember212011
DOE Report: U.S. Solar Industry Achieved Record Cost Reductions in 2010
The average cost of going solar in the U.S. decreased significantly in 2010
and through the first half of 2011, according to a report released by the
Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
According to a Sept. 15 release, solar advocates applaud the report as the
latest indicator that solar is ready to power America's new energy economy.
"The solar power industry is the fastest growing industry in America. We are
delivering strong economic returns and good jobs at increasingly competitive
prices, as this National Lab report shows. This report is further proof of
what Americans from across the country already know: smart solar policy
creates jobs and economic growth for communities hit hard by the recession,"
said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries
Association (SEIA).
"Solar is ready to play a significant role in our nation's energy economy.
It's reliable, it's scalable, it's safe, and now we're seeing that it's
cost-competitive with conventional electricity resources in many parts of
the country. The American solar industry has achieved these tremendous cost
reductions and economic benefits while still supplying less than 1 percent
of our national energy mix. Just imagine what the coming years could have in
store if the U.S. solar market is allowed to continue its robust growth,"
said Carrie Hitt, President of the Solar Alliance, a state-focused alliance
of solar manufacturers, integrators and financiers.
Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative, a grassroots
organization working to make solar power a mainstream energy resource across
the U.S. noted: "The impressive cost reductions highlighted in this report
did not happen by accident. It took business innovation and market-building
policies at all levels of government to achieve the necessary economies of
scale. There has never been a better time for customers or utilities to
harness the sun for power. It's time to double down on our nation's
investment in this job-creating, homegrown energy resource."
Report highlights include:
The latest edition of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab's "Tracking the Sun,"
an annual report on solar photovoltaic (PV) costs in the U.S., examined more
than 115,000 PV systems installed between 1998 and 2010 across 42 states.
Key findings include:
The cost of going solar fell significantly for consumers over the past 18
months. The average pre-incentive cost of residential and commercial solar
PV systems decreased 17 percent in 2010, the most significant annual
reductions since Lawrence Berkeley National Lab began tracking data. Costs
declined another 11 percent in the first half of 2011.
Market-building policies are effectively driving costs down. Reductions in
the costs of installation labor, balance of systems, overhead and other
non-module costs fell 18 percent from 2009 to 2010. This is significant
because, unlike module costs, which are largely determined by the global
market, non-module costs are most readily impacted by state and federal
policies that accelerate deployment and remove market barriers.
U.S. solar incentives are delivering an increasing return on investment. As
a result of lower per watt costs, the average size of direct cash incentives
from states and utilities as well as dollar-per-watt value of the federal
tax incentive have both steadily decreased since their peak.
Increased market scale would likely achieve additional near-term cost
reductions. The average installed cost of small residential PV installations
in 2010 was significantly lower in Germany ($4.2/W) than in the United
States ($6.9/W), where cumulative grid-connected PV capacity in the two
countries through 2010 totaled roughly 17,000 MW and 2,100 MW, respectively.
Tracking the Sun is one of many reports from industry groups and independent
consultants indicating that solar is ready and able to meet a larger portion
of America's power needs and strengthen the U.S. economy. The quarterly U.S.
Solar Market Insight report from GTM Research and SEIA showed continued
record-breaking growth in the first part of 2011.
The report found that year-over-year, the amount of new solar PV installed
grew 66 percent, domestic solar manufacturing grew 31 percent, and another
1.1 GW of utility-scale solar is currently under construction. The National
Solar Jobs Census from the Solar Foundation found that the growing U.S.
solar industry supported 93,500 jobs in 2010 with more than half of all
solar employers planning to expand their workforce in 2011.
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.
The Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of
the U.S. solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works
with its 1,000 member companies 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.
The Solar Alliance is a state-focused association of solar equipment
manufacturers, integrators, integrators, and financiers specifically working
with state administrators, legislators and utilities to establish solar
policies and programs.
Report info
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