PV America 2012 West Celebrates

The inaugural PV America West conference and trade show concluded on March 21 with more than 160 exhibitors showcasing the products and technologies driving the PV solar energy industry in the western region in 2012. Presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)® and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), the show offered an extensive conference program headlined by the opening keynote by General Wesley Cark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and presidential candidate. (Arrangements for the appearance of General Wesley Clark made through Greater Talent Network, Inc., New York, NY.)

General Clark, a vocal renewable energy advocate, told attendees that as the country’s fastest growing industry, solar energy is at the center of the country’s economic rebound. “Solar is at the center of entrepreneurship and is the best example of how to work in a global supply chain,” he stated. General Clark also pushed for continued government support. “We need the investment tax credit and help on net metering to get us started,” he said. Clark urged the industry to work with their congressional representatives to explain how they can help the solar industry.”

In her opening remarks, Julia Hamm, President and CEO, SEPA said, “Utilities are embracing solar with 3600 MW integrated into the grid, one-third of which occurred in 2011. Over the past five to 10 years, a decline in costs has made PV an increasingly attractive option to them. The solar train is moving full steam ahead and most utilities realize they need to get on board. Utilities are not against solar, but by their very nature are technology agnostic. They are looking for solutions to provide access to clean, affordable solar energy to all customers.”

Hamm pointed to community solar as a growth vehicle pointing out that there are 15 utility-managed community solar programs in existence with dozens more in the works. To spur the progress, 13 states plus the District of Columbia are considering state-wide legislation. Additionally, eight utilities are already investing $2.5 billion to own their own PV power plants, both distributed and large scale. “Utilities represent one of the best opportunities for the solar industry and one of the fastest ways possible to make solar energy a significant part of the U.S. energy portfolio. But to succeed, the solar industry and the utilities must work in partnership to identify solutions to the issues we face today,” she said.

Rhone Resch, President and CEO, SEIA, shared an upbeat report on the growth of the industry. “In 2011, we didn’t just break records we shattered them, with nearly 1GW increase from 887MW to 1,855MW. For the second year in a row, solar energy is the fastest growing industry in the U.S., led by California, New Jersey, Arizona and Hawaii in the residential market.” According to Resch, New Jersey surpassed California for the first time, in the commercial market, followed by Arizona and Pennsylvania. Large scale utility projects saw a 300 percent growth and there is a pipeline of nearly 30GW under development by large independent power producers, and individual developers. “We also saw historic cost decline – with cost to the customer dropping on average 20 percent due in large part to the 50 percent decrease of module prices,” he added.

Resch outlined several challenges facing the industry including net metering, the expiration of the 1603 Treasury Program country and global trade. “We have to take net metering very seriously, especially in California where there are caps on net metering and we will bump into those caps in 2013. And if changes aren’t made to the caps, the industry will shut down. We need to work with the utilities to find a way to remove market barriers to allow access to electricity.” In discussing global trade, he announced that SEIA is creating a multilateral public/private dialogue on trade to develop consensus guidelines to avoid future trade disputes. “We are working with our fellow trade associations around the world for development of multilateral framework to promote free and fair trade and open market solar energy around the world,” said Resch.

In remarks targeted at small businesses, Elizabeth B. Echols, Regional Administrator – Region IX of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), also affirmed that the industry “is important to the sustainability of our national economy and that the majority of business in the solar industry are small businesses.” To assist small business growth, Echols detailed the programs that the SBA offers including loans, counseling and mentoring, and opportunities in federal contracts.

She reiterated President Obama’s goal to “double to 80 percent the share of electricity generated from clean energy sources by 2035” and explained that “the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E has issued a $150 million funding opportunity open to all transformational energy technologies to solve our nation’s most pressing energy challenges that could lead to breakthrough energy technologies.”

Echols also recapped additional initiatives including: issuing of permits on public lands that will enable the generation of 10GW of renewable generation capacity – enough to power three million homes; the Navy is adding 1 GW of renewable energy from solar, wind, and geothermal to its energy portfolio for shore-side installations – enough to power 250,000 homes; and the DOE SunShot Initiative is working to decrease the installed costs of solar energy systems by 75 percent by the end of the decade.

At PV America West, Hamm and Resch presented the second annual Project of Distinction Awards honoring major achievements in U.S. solar energy. The recipients were Arizona Western College Solar Installation, Yuma, Ariz.; Clean Energy Collective Community-Owned Solar Farm, Holy Cross Energy, Garfield County Airport, Rifle, Colo.; and the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ-9) Complex at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif.

“The just concluded PV America West show celebrated the vibrant solar energy industry in the western region,” said Hamm. ”Our incredible education program provided attendees with updates on the latest innovations and information that will help guide their businesses this year. We look forward to returning to California in May 2013, with PV America West in San Diego.”

“With some of the best educational sessions in the industry, insightful remarks from General Wesley Clark and SBA’s Elizabeth Echols, an abundance of networking opportunities and the chance to secure deals with the more than 160 exhibitors on the floor, attendees at PV America West left San Jose better prepared to get ahead of the competition in the rapidly growing U.S. solar market,” said Resch. “We are looking forward to bringing high-value PV America events to both San Diego and Philadelphia in 2013.”

Upcoming PV America Shows
PV America 2013 East – January 29-31 in Philadelphia
PV America 2013 West – May 14-16 in San Diego

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