Sepa Study Aims To Improve Solar Power Market

摘要

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) last month released a new report, "Utility Procurement Study: Solar Electricity in the Utility Market," that is aimed at improving large-scale solar acquisition by electric utilities and that provides innovative ideas for future project procurement. In 2008, more than 5,000 MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power projects were announced. With the eight-year extension of the federal investment tax credit (ITC), the market is expected to grow significantly, SEPA said. Along with the tax credit extension, the revised ITC also allows electric utilities to use the credit for the first time by both owning or investing in solar projects, potentially creating a critical source of new projects and capital financing during the current economic downturn. "The past year was marked by an unprecedented number of announcements for new large-scale solar power projects," said Julia Hamm, SEPA's executive director. "A significant investment of time and resources by both utilities and solar companies goes into a solar project's initial development. Current practices and procedures such as requests for proposals, negotiations and contracting occur behind the scenes, but are critical to the overall success of new solar generation."