The Renewed Push for PV: New Paths and Programs for Photovoltaics

Table of Contents

• Table of Contents
• Energy Insights Opinion
• Executive Summary
• The Main Points
• PV Market Overview-A Burgeoning Sector in Flux
• Table: Solar PV Market Snapshot
• Figure: Global PV Installations in 2005
  • Record PV Projects in the Offing
  • Silicon supply constraints
    • Did the silicon shortage catch the industry napping?
  • PV manufacturing dynamism
  • Figure: Historical PV Shipments by Region: 2000-2005
  • Figure: Top 10 PV Manufacturers for 2005 (MW)
  • Market forces triggering wheeling and dealing
  • Table: Wheeling and dealing: Selected PV sector mergers and acquisitions
  • Figure: Historical U.S. Venture Capital Investments in Solar PV: 2001-2005
  • Solar price points: Still too high but on a downward trajectory
• The Technology Offensive-New Developments and
  • First generation
  • Second generation
  • Table: A Comparison of PV Technology Conversion Rates
  • Figure: Annual Production of Thin-film Modules in the U.S.: 1996-2005
  • Third generation
  • Table: Third-generation PV Technology Overview
  • Balance of system innovations
• Regulatory Drivers for PV
  • Energy Policy Act of 2005
    • Spotlight on Germany and Japan
      • Germany
      • Japan
      • Figure: Annual PV Installations in Germany, 1990-2005
      • Figure: Japan PV Program Rebates and Participation, 1994-2004
  • Select state-level programs
  • Figure: States with Solar Requirements Within Renewable Portfolio Standard
  • Table: State RPS Mandates That Include a Solar/PV Requirement and Applicable State PV Subsidy Programs
    • California: in a class all by itself
    • Figure: California Grid-connected PV Capacity Installed
    • New Jersey: a sure thing, so far
    • Table: New Jersey CEP Solar Rebate Levels, Effective March 15, 2006
    • Figure: New Jersey Solar Installation Projects Through 12/31/2005
    • Ontario leap-frogs all other North American PV programs
  • Select utility-level programs
    • Public Service Company of New Mexico: land of solar
    • Xcel Energy: ahead of schedule
  • Can U.S. programs deliver?
• Notes
• Authors
• Appendix - Selected PV-specific State Incentives and Policies
• Table: Selected PV-specific State Incentives
  • Synopsis