Solar Policy and Economics Forum USA

Event Summary

CEOs, Directors and Presidents of the solar industry convened in the nation’s capital this September to discuss the current economics of solar power in the US and how policies, developments in technology and new business strategies are affecting the sector. All were in agreement that the US solar market is poised for a boom. Plans to hit 1GW of installed solar power this year look realistic and the projections for coming years are even more exciting.

Yet finance remains a stumbling block. Tax equity is not sufficient to drive the scale of growth that is being forecasted and affordable debt finance is not available as investors continue to view the developed solar industry as high risk. The award of a handful of loan guarantees of unprecedented size has injected some much needed capital and confidence into the sector, however all attendees stressed the importance of the extension or replacement of the ITC cash grant to keep the US market buoyant.

A strong solar industry is seen as one of the key ways to rebuild and strengthen the US economy, creating an abundance of jobs and revenue. China has in recent years vastly outstripped the US in manufacturing capacity, but with the sheer number and scale of projects forecasted many more international companies are looking to set up facilities in the country.

Developments in policies on a federal scale are deemed unlikely, yet state wide there is a lot of interest in how things are going to play out. Whilst regulations move slowly, technologies continue to drop in price as economies of scale are achieved and grid parity looks to be around the not too distant corner.

To purchase the conference proceedings from the Solar Policy & Economics Forum please contact graham.swanson@greenpowerconferences.com