Solar power update
Posted on March 21, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized |
A new report from Solar Energy Industry Association gives us a picture of how fast solar power is growing in the US.  In 2008, according to the report, we ended up with 8,775 MW of installed solar power–an increase of 17% over the previous year. Another 6,000 MW of concentrating solar power is in development. But solar is still a fraction of the amount of power being generated by wind–wind grew by nearly as much as the total installed solar capacity last year–about 8,500 MW to just over 21,000 MW.
While the biggest growth is expected in concentrating solar projects (where the sun heats a liquid to produce steam and drive a turbine,) this week it was good old photovoltaics that got a big boost on Friday when the federal government announced a $535 million loan guarantee to build a new production facility in California.  The money is going to a company called Solyndra. The company makes panels aimed at the commercial building market and what makes them unique is that they are designed to lie flat instead of being mounted at an angle. (Cool video about how they are made here.)
Chris Gronet, the founder and chairman of Solyndra, said the guaranteed funding “will enable Solyndra to achieve the economies of scale needed to deliver solar electricity at prices that are competitive with utility rates.� He added, “This expansion is really aboutcreating new jobs while meaningfully impacting global warming.�
This is the first loan gurantee in a new program designed to support the development of clean energy–it’s a loan program that was authorized by Congress in 2005. I’m not exactly sure why it has taken so long to get the money out the door, but it appears that the new Energy Secretary has made it a bit more of a priority than the last one did.
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Great Blog! This is the only way that there will be more growth in the Clean renewable Enrgy sector I think for a while as the gas prices stay low the government has to give more loans and incentives to companies so they can grow and expand, therby creating more clean renewable energy jobs and help turn this ecomnomy around. My feeling is the Obama admin has it’s eye on the ball and they are looking to keep it rolling.