June 25, 2010 – 1 pm EDT
Title: CESA Update Call: Solar ABCs Policy Recommendations

This monthly Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) update WEBINAR will feature the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs) new policy recommendations addressing the use of qualification and reliability standards for photovoltaic (PV) modules. Currently, there is no qualification or reliability testing required for PV modules in the U.S. marketplace, which, as a result, may be flooded with lower-quality PV modules. The Solar ABCs’ recommendations set a minimum standard that will restrict poorer-quality PV modules from being sold in the U.S. marketplace.

Webinar Recording (Windows Media Player)

Presentation (pdf) by Dr. (Mani) Govindasamy TamizhMani, president of TUV Rheinland Photovoltaic Testing Laboratory and a professor in the Department of Electronics Systems at Arizona State University.

Solar ABCs Recommendation: Recommended Standards for PV Modules and Systems, January 2010 (pdf)

FAILURE ANALYSIS OF MODULE DESIGN QUALIFICATION TESTING – III: 1997-2005 vs. 2005-2007 vs. 2007-2009, by G. TamizhMani, B. Li, T. Arends, J. Kuitche, B. Raghuraman, W. Shisler, K. Farnsworth, A. Voropayev and D. Parker TUV Rheinland PTL, LLC. Tempe, Arizona, United States. June 2010. (pdf)    

March 30, 2010
1 pm – 2 pm EDT
Renewable Energy Finance and Policy Toolkit

Clean Energy Group and Council of State Governments Webcast

State clean energy funds and programs have a variety of financing tools at their disposal to support distributed renewable energy deployment.  Historically, states have relied heavily on rebates and other forms of direct project assistance.  However, states are increasingly looking for ways to leverage available dollars.  This webinar will review the Renewable Energy Finance Toolkit recently published by Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA).  The toolkit provides an overview of established and emerging financing tools–including their strengths, weaknesses and best practices– which states can use to advance clean energy.

Charlie Kubert, CESA Project Director and key author of the report, will cover findings from the report and explain how these finance and policy tools can be used as a portfolio of approaches to create the most robust and effective clean energy programs.

Download the Report
File Format: PDF
File Source: Clean Energy States Alliance If you would like to register for this March 30th webcast, please send an email to maria@cleanegroup.org with “PV Toolkit” in the subject line and include your contact information; the call in information will be provided at that time.

Clean Energy Group and Clean Energy States Alliance will host a PV Webinar on LBNL’s recent report, “Tracking the Sun II – The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2008.” Galen Barbose of LBNL, one of the report’s principal authors, will brief attendees on the key findings from the report.

The LBNL report provides a comprehensive summary of installed cost trends for grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States from 1998 through 2008, updating an earlier report that contained data through 2007. The updated report is based on project-level data from more than 52,000 residential and non-residential PV systems, totaling 566 MW of capacity and representing 71% of all grid-connected PV capacity installed in the U.S. through 2008. These data were provided by 27 PV incentive programs spanning 16 states.

The report finds that average installed costs have declined over time, from $10.8/W in 1998 to $7.5/W in 2008 (in real 2008 dollars per installed watt DC).  Importantly, average costs declined by approximately $0.3/W from 2007 to 2008, following several preceding years (2005-2007) when they remained essentially flat.  The cost reductions from 2007 to 2008 were associated with a decline in module costs, in contrast to earlier years when cost reductions were associated primarily with a decline in non-module costs.

The report also finds evidence of sizable economies of scale among the PV systems in our sample, significant variation in average installed cost among states, and cost advantages for PV installed in residential new construction relative to the retrofit market.  The report also describes trends in financial incentive levels over time, by customer type and among states, and the associated impact of these trends on the net installed cost of PV for residential and commercial PV system owners after receipt of incentives.

The report can be downloaded here: http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/emp/re-pubs.html.

If you would like to register for this November 12thwebinar, please send an email to maria@cleanegroup.org with “PV Cost Trends Webinar” in the subject line and include your contact information; the call in information will be provided at that time.

Smart Solar Marketing Strategies
September 22, 2009 at 1 pm EDT

Clean Energy Group and SmartPower invite you to attend our upcoming PV Conference Call on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 1 pm EDT for a briefing on “Smart Solar Marketing Strategies,” a new report from Clean Energy Group and SmartPower.

Download the document
File Format: PDF
File Source: Clean Energy Group

Download the presentation
File Format: PDF
File Source: Clean Energy Group

Lyn Rosoff, Deputy Director of SmartPower and the primary author of the report, will discuss “Smart Solar Marketing Strategies,” a practical guide for any solar program looking to broaden interest and build a stronger base of customers. SmartPower will share its consumer research findings to reveal important market barriers that must be addressed in overcoming customer resistance. By introducing the concept of “think like a retailer,” the report offers a thoughtful way to ensure that all solar program activities are directed at overcoming these barriers, to achieve stronger sales and more installations. Solar program directors will come away with a step-by-step process of evaluating their own program approach and examples of innovative solar marketing programs from across the country.

If you would like to register for this one-hour call on September 22nd, please send an email to Maria@cleanegroup.org with “Solar Marketing Webinar” in the subject line and include your contact information; the call in information will be provided at that time.

On June 2, 2009, CSG and CEG will host a free webinar, State Solar Program Initiatives: Recent Developments and New Innovations, designed to brief the audience on how states are supporting the development of solar energy projects and markets. The principal barrier to widespread adoption of solar PV is the high capital cost. Therefore, many public state agencies in the U.S. have established incentive programs to make PV system costs competitive for the customer and to build local solar markets. 

In recent years, states have been improving the sophistication of their solar PV support programs support for solar PV by drawing on the lessons learned from the early experience with the first round of solar rebate programs. For this webinar, a panel of leading state solar program managers will discuss the lessons learned and describe how states are revising and crafting new programs to advance solar markets.

Today a range of solar program approaches are being implemented in the U.S. by states (see http://www.cleanegroup.org/Reports/CEG_Mainstreaming-Solar-Electricity_Apr2008.pdf.) The three major types of policy support at the state level include: incentives (upfront rebates, performance-based incentives, and estimated performance based buy-downs), renewable portfolio standards with solar set-asides, and support for local infrastructure (manufacturing, installers, business development, etc.). The panel will explore the merits, challenges, and effectiveness of each approach in advancing self-sustaining solar markets.

Mark Sinclair, Vice President of Clean Energy Group, will facilitate and frame the session. Mark will describe the characteristics and objectives of an effective solar support program and recent innovations by states to advance solar markets, including use of solar financing, focus on affordable housing and new market housing, and creative marketing. Mark also will describe future trends in state support for solar.

Then, the panel will feature program representatives from four leading solar states – CA, CT, MD and NY – to describe the general approach used by each state, the unique features of each, and lessons for other states. Most importantly, the representatives will be asked to provide a candid assessment of what is working, what is not, and why.

Webinar details and access information for this event will be distributed via the CEG-CSG PV Peer Network listserve in May. If you would like to become a member of the list serve and receive periodic notices of this and other informational events, please email your contact information to Maria@cleanegroup.org and put “PV Peer Network” in the Subject line. For more information about the PV Peer Network, including materials for this and past webinars, please visit the States Advancing Solar website PV Peer Network page at http://www.statesadvancingsolar.org/state-activities/pv-peer-network.

We hope that you will join us on June 2nd at 1 pm EDT.

CESA webinar, How to Design an Effective Clean Energy Program: A Blueprint for Success, Thursday, April 2, 2009. 

Hear from leading state clean energy program managers on best practices for advancing renewable energy with new stimulus funding.  The webinar is free, but registration is required.  Visit the CESA website for presentations and briefing reports. An audio recording of the event will be posted soon.

Friday, February 20, 2009, 1 pm ET.

Clean Energy Group and the Clean Energy States Alliance invite you to attend our upcoming PV Conference Call on State Solar Policy Initiatives: Briefing on New LBNL Report – TRACKING THE SUN: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the U.S. from 1998-2007.   Installations of photovoltaic systems have been growing at a rapid pace in recent years, driven in large measure by state solar programs and other government incentives.  A key goal of these policies is to encourage cost reductions over time, and out of this goal arises the need for reliable information on the installed cost of PV.  To that end, a new LBNL report summarizes trends in the installed cost of grid-connected PV systems in the United States from 1998 through 2007.  The report is based on an analysis of installed cost data from nearly 37,000 residential and non-residential PV systems, totaling 363 MW of capacity, and representing 76% of all grid-connected PV capacity installed in the U.S. through 2007.  The report focuses on the installed cost born by the customer, and summarizes trends over time, by system characteristics, by customer location, and by component.  It also describes changes in incentive levels over time and the resulting impact on net installed costs. 

The purpose of this conference call is to receive an in-depth briefing from LBNL’s Galen Barbose, one of the principal authors of the new report, on the key findings of the analysis.  

Here are just a few of the findings that Galen will address:  

·        Average installed costs, in terms of real 2007 dollars per installed watt (DC-STC), declined significantly over this period

·        The overall decline in installed costs over time is primarily attributable to a reduction in non-module costs.  This suggests that state and local deployment programs – which likely have a greater impact on non-module costs than on module prices – have been at least somewhat successful in spurring cost reductions.

·        PV installed costs exhibit significant economies of scale.

·        Installed costs vary widely across states. Variation in average installed cost across states, as well as comparisons with Japan and Germany, suggest that large markets offer lower costs.

·        The new construction market offers cost advantages for residential PV.  

PV Peer Network Conference Call. Friday, September 19, 2008 at 1 pm EDT.

The Connecticut Solar Lease Program, the first of its kind in the nation, is a new initiative designed to eliminate the high initial costs associated with the purchase and installation of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Through the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), a combination of rebates and tax credits can be used to lower the cost of leasing solar systems, helping more residents obtain clean, renewable solar energy.

This is the first time a ratepayer-funded organization such as CCEF has partnered with financial institutions to leverage federal tax credits in order to make renewable energy more affordable. CCEF is investing $38.6 million and hopes to help approximately 1,000 homeowners in the next three years.

Residents with qualifying credit and whose household income is less than or equal to 150 percent of the median income in their area are eligible for the program. A Hartford family of four with a total household income of less than $121,000, for example, would qualify for a complete solar photovoltaic system with no down payment required.

"This program is the latest initiative by CCEF to make clean, renewable energy accessible to Connecticut’s families," said CCEF President Lise Dondy. "By combining CCEF’s solar rebate program with the financial power of leasing, we have created an affordable way for Connecticut homeowners to adopt solar energy without the high upfront cost."

This call will be 1.5 hours long and will feature a presentation by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. A reminder and agenda will be sent a week before the conference call to the States Advancing Solar listserve, and materials will be posted on the States Advancing Solar website at: http://www.statesadvancingsolar.org/state-activities/pv-peer-network

 PV Peer Network Conference Call. Friday, July 11, 2008 at 1 pm EDT.

Moderator:  Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance

As states seek to develop a sustainable solar market, common strategies have emerged to overcome the financial, regulatory, and institutional barriers to solar deployment.  In this session, policy experts will report on the latest and greatest in state initiatives to: include solar in the electricity mix; target high-value solar applications; market solar to the consumer, and drive down solar PV costs.

Presentations will include:

• Introduction: Recent Developments in State Policy Support for Solar
  Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance
• New York State: Building a Local Solar Market
  Jeff Peterson, NYSERDA
• California Solar Initiative: Progress Report
  Sanford Miller, Renewable Energy Program, Lead, New Solar Homes Partnership, California Energy Commission
• New Jersey Solar Policy Innovation
  David Hill, VEIC
• Use of Renewable Portfolio Standards to Advance Solar
  Ryan Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Details for this call will be sent to the PV Peer Network Listserve. If you would like more information, please contact Maria Blais.

Solar 2008 Conference, May 8, 2008

8:30 am – 10 am PDT: State Solar Policy Initiatives: Recent Developments and Lessons Learned

Moderator:  Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance

As states seek to develop a sustainable solar market, common strategies have emerged to overcome the financial, regulatory, and institutional barriers to solar deployment.  In this session, policy experts will report on the latest and greatest in state initiatives to: include solar in the electricity mix; target high-value solar applications; market solar to the consumer, and drive down solar PV costs.

Presentations Include:

• Introduction: Recent Developments in State Policy Support for Solar
  Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance
• New York State: Building a Local Solar Market
  Jeff Peterson, NYSERDA
• California Solar Initiative: Progress Report
  Sanford Miller, Renewable Energy Program, Lead, New Solar Homes Partnership, California Energy Commission
• New Jersey Solar Policy Innovation
  Scott Hunter, Renewable Energy Program Administrator, NJ Office of Clean Energy, NJ Bureau of Public Utilities
• Use of Renewable Portfolio Standards to Advance Solar
  Ryan Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab