PV Peer Network Conference Call

February 20, 2009
1:00 pmto2:00 pm

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.  

This call will be one-hour long . A reminder and agenda will be sent to PV Peer Network members a week before the conference call via 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