| 04/16/2013 | Washington, D.C., April 16, 2013 – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today named the Top 10 American electric utilities that have added the most new solar power to their systems and the most solar on a watts-per-customer basis in 2012. This annual ranking, which identifies the companies that are integrating solar into the nation’s power grid, is part of the sixth annual Utility Solar Rankings report. The full report, which will be released in May 2013, identifies leading solar industry trends such as total installed capacity, market share and industry growth rates. |
| 03/04/2013 | Washington, D.C. – On March 1, 2013, Georgia Power launched its Advanced Solar Initiative to grow solar resources in the state by opening the application process for distributed solar generation. The Georgia Public Service Commission approved the program in November 2012, allowing the southeastern utility to acquire 45 MW of solar capacity via distributed generation and 60 MW via competitive RFP in both 2013 and 2014. When fully implemented, Georgia will benefit from an additional 210 MW of clean solar power under long-term contracts. |
| 09/26/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Today, Georgia Power filed a new solar initiative -- the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (“GPASI”) -- with the Georgia Public Service Commission. Through GPASI, Georgia Power would acquire 210 megawatts (MW) of new solar capacity through long-term contracts over a three-year period. Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), a non-profit focused on helping utilities make smart solar decisions, issued the following statement in response to the proposed initiative: |
| 09/11/2012 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced today the selection of five new members to its Board of Directors and the reappointment of four members to serve an additional term.
SEPA welcomes newly elected Board members Holly Gordon of Sunrun, Jurgen Krehnke of SMA Solar Technology AG, Lori Singleton of Salt River Project, and newly appointed Board members Cris Eugster of CPS Energy and Matt Ferguson of Reznick Group.
SEPA is also pleased to welcome back four returning members to the Board of Directors. The SEPA membership re-elected Jon Bertolino of Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Matt Cheney of CleanPath Ventures LLC, Alex Kim of San Diego Gas & Electric and Jennifer Szaro of Orlando Utilities Commission.
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| 08/17/2012 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today named CPS Energy President and CEO Doyle Beneby its 2012 Utility CEO of the Year for his leadership in integrating solar power into the company’s energy portfolio. |
| 07/02/2012 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President and CEO Julia Hamm today praised the collaboration between Georgia Power and Atlanta-based Solar Design & Development to develop and install a series of solar projects that will produce 19 megawatts (MW) of solar power throughout the state. Once complete, Georgia Power’s first retail utility-scale solar power development will more than double Georgia’s solar production. |
| 06/20/2012 | Seattle, Wash. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has named Austin Energy the 2012 Public Power Utility of the Year. The award was presented in conjunction with the American Public Power Association’s National Conference in Seattle, Washington. “SEPA is proud to name Austin Energy as its 2012 Public Power Utility of the Year,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA President and CEO. “Through a number of innovative measures and business actions over the past year, Austin Energy has made substantial and award-worthy advancements in the delivery of clean, affordable solar energy to its customers.” |
| 06/12/2012 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has named Arizona’s Trico Electric Cooperative the 2012 Electric Cooperative of the Year.
“Trico recognizes that the member owners of electric cooperatives have evolving needs and expectations,” said SEPA President and CEO Julia Hamm. “Keeping today’s rates low remains a priority, but home and business owners have a growing interest in solar energy options that will protect them from electricity price volatility in the future. SEPA is pleased to recognize Trico both for its long standing commitment to solar energy but also its recent progress in developing programs that allow all of its customers to take advantage of the benefits solar energy has to offer.” |
| 06/04/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) named Tucson Electric Power (TEP) the 2012 Investor Owned Utility of the Year. The award was presented in conjunction with the Edison Electric Institute Annual Convention in Orlando, FL. |
| 05/30/2012 | Recently, representatives of the Chinese solar industry formed a new alliance and named it "the Solar Energy Promotion Alliance" in response to the U.S. preliminary ruling of levying anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese photovoltaic exporters. Unfortunately, the alliance is using the acronym - SEPA - which is the acronym that we at the Solar Electric Power Association have been using since 2000.
Since the mission of the Chinese alliance is unrelated to our mission at the Solar Electric Power Association, we feel that is important to make you aware of their choice of name and their current use of the SEPA acronym.
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| 05/23/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Today, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) released the full 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report. The full report ranks utilities nationally, by region and by utility type and is available at no cost. Among the many findings, the report showed that in 2011, utilities interconnected more than 62,000 PV systems of all sizes. These new systems resulted in almost 1,500 megawatts of new utility solar capacity, more than twice as much as was added in 2010, which itself had been a record year. Both the number of systems and the percentage of growth make solar electricity the fastest growing electric source in the U.S. in 2011. |
| 05/04/2012 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) Board of Directors recently held elections for two of its three officer positions. Ervan Hancock, Manager of Renewable and Green Strategies for Georgia Power, was elected to the position of Vice Chairman. Matthew Cheney, CEO of CleanPath Ventures, was elected as Treasurer. David Rubin, Director of Service Analysis for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, continues in his role as Chairman. |
| 04/10/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Today, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced the PowerClerk® Discount Program, which provides the organization’s members with a substantial discount on a unique online incentive program management tool for renewable energy programs. To date, more than 130,000 PV incentive applications representing 2.5 GW of solar capacity have been processed through PowerClerk. |
| 04/03/2012 | WASHINGTON, DC - The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today announced that President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at Solar Power International (SPI) 2012 on September 12 in Orlando, Fla. SPI is the premier global solar energy conference and expo, designed to serve and advance the solar power industry. Taking place September 10 - 13 at the Orange County Convention Center, the show features over 1,200 exhibitors and more than 24,000 attendees from 128 countries. |
| 03/19/2012 | Washington, D.C. – 2012 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). During that time, solar energy has advanced from a niche resource with limited applications to a significant energy source for electric utilities and their customers across the U.S. In 1992, a new organization was formed to accelerate the use of photovoltaic (PV) power. The founders of SEPA, which was then called the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), consisted of 13 electric utilities, the Edison Electric Institute, the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Electric Power Research Institute. |
| 03/16/2012 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is proud to announce and welcome Eran Mahrer into the newly created position of Vice President, Utility Strategy. In this role, Mr. Mahrer will lead SEPA’s efforts in engaging utilities to develop best-in-class solar strategies and practices. He will work closely with utility leaders, regulators, developers and other key stakeholders to position solar energy as a core resource for utilities. |
| 03/06/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Yesterday the City Council of Palo Alto, California approved the Clean Local Energy Accessible Now (CLEAN) Program, a program developed by the city’s municipal utility that will expand the use of solar energy within its service territory. The approval of the Palo Alto CLEAN Program, also known as a feed-in tariff, highlights the trend towards use of innovative program models by municipal utilities across the country as solar energy becomes more cost competitive and in greater demand by customers. |
| 03/01/2012 | SAN DIEGO – March 1, 2012 – In an effort to continue the San Diego region’s rapid deployment of residential, commercial and utility-scale solar power installations, CleanTECH San Diego and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) are co-hosting the San Diego Solar Energy Symposium on March 6 at the University of San Diego (USD). The symposium will feature a number of distinguished guests from the solar industry to discuss the future of solar power in San Diego.
“No matter how much has been done, we’ve only just tapped into the full potential of rooftop solar solutions and mass adoption,” said Jim Waring, President and Chief Executive Officer of CleanTECH San Diego. “The lessons learned are the platform from which the region can grow to reach its full solar energy potential.” |
| 01/11/2012 | Washington, D.C. – Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President and CEO Julia Hamm released the following statement on two new solar projects in Texas.
“SEPA applauds municipal utilities, Austin Energy and CPS Energy, for hitting significant milestones on projects that will dramatically increase Texas’ solar capacity, providing environmentally friendly solar power to customers while advancing the state’s renewable energy goals. Both utilities are integral members of SEPA and are a testament to the forward thinking of our nation’s municipally owned utilities.
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| 11/15/2011 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), an educational non-profit focused on helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios, is leading 19 utility executives and managers to Southern California on its U.S. Fact Finding Mission from November 13-18. This trip marks the first time SEPA brings its popular Fact Finding Mission program to the United States. |
| 11/14/2011 | Washington, D.C. - In January of 2011, CPS Energy - the largest municipal electric and gas utility in the United States - issued an RFP for 50 MW of solar projects. In a move that surprised many in the solar industry, the utility then announced in July that based on the proposal prices it received it was expanding plans to include 400 rather than 50 MW of solar energy. |
| 11/02/2011 | Washington, D.C. - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to announce and welcome Darren Deffner to the newly created position of Director of Policy. In this role, Mr. Deffner will lead SEPA’s efforts to monitor and analyze proposed and current federal and state policies to ensure that the organization’s members understand the potential impacts to their businesses. He will provide members with timely information on state solar policy trends and the impact of those trends on solar markets and utility operations. Mr. Deffner will also serve as a valuable resource for utility members who have questions about policy issues specific to their own company. |
| 10/18/2011 | Dallas, TX – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced the results of the 2011 SEPA Solar Business Achievement Awards. The SEPA Board of Directors and staff are proud to recognize these utilities and solar partners who are proactively increasing the percentage of the nation’s energy mix generated by solar energy. Presentation of the awards was made in conjunction with Solar Power International 2011, which is jointly presented by SEPA and the Solar Energy Industries Association.
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| 07/18/2011 | Washington, D.C. - Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President Julia Hamm released the following statement in response to CPS Energy's announcement that it will be seeking up to 400 MW of solar electricity rather than the 50 MW it originally solicited earlier this year. CPS Energy is the nation's largest municpally-oned utility providing both natural gas and electric service.
"SEPA applauds CPS Energy's desire to integrate up to 400 MW of solar electricity into its grid. That is enough electricity to power 80,000 homes and will provide significant benefits to the utility's San Antonio, Texas customers." |
| 07/12/2011 | Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President and CEO Julia Hamm released the following statement in support of Georgia Power’s plans to increase its solar capacity from 4MW to 55MW by 2015. “SEPA would like to congratulate Georgia Power, one of our members, on its leadership in announcing plans to increase solar capacity by 50MW by 2015. Our recently released Top 10 Utility Integration Rankings report found that utilities across the nation are speeding up their use of solar power, and this announcement clearly demonstrates that the trend is continuing. |
| 06/09/2011 | Washington, D.C. – America’s electric utilities are ramping up their use of solar power, and not just in the sunny Southwest. That’s one of the principal findings of the new 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report released today by the Solar Electric Power Association. |
| 04/05/2011 | Philadelphia – Yesterday, Bob Gibson, Vice President of Market Intelligence for the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), addressed the general session at PV America, a regional solar trade show presented by SEPA and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The following are excerpts from Gibson’s speech. Please visit www.solarelectricpower.org for the full text of the address, including examples of specific projects that are leading the way in the growth of utility-scale solar power. |
| 04/04/2011 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced today unprecedented first-quarter growth in its utility membership for 2011. So far this year, five major utility groups have joined SEPA increasing its membership by more than 100 percent. SEPA’s utility membership now represents more than 95 percent of the nation’s annual installed solar capacity and 47 percent of all U.S. electric customers. |
| 03/18/2011 | Washington, D.C. – Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, today offered the following comment for attribution on the recent announcement by Xcel Energy, the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office (GEO), Solar Alliance and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) regarding the restart of the Solar*Rewards program. The new agreement sets the program investment at $97.3 million for the 2011 plan, and allows Xcel to acquire up to an additional 60 megawatts of solar energy. |
| 12/22/2010 | Washington, D.C. – Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, today offered the following comment for attribution on the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy that a $1.45 billion loan guarantee has been finalized for Abengoa Solar Inc.’s Solana project. When completed, the 250-megawatt (MW) project will be the largest parabolic trough concentrating solar plant in the world, as well as the first large-scale solar plant in the United States that can also store the electricity it generates. |
| 12/10/2010 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to announce its upcoming webinars as part of its ongoing commitment to provide engaging educational opportunities to its members. These live events provide key industry insight to help utilities and indu make smart solar decisions. |
| 12/08/2010 | Washington, D.C. – Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, today offered the following comment for attribution on the recent announcement by Sempra Generation that it has completed construction on the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in the United States. The 48 MW Cooper Mountain plant is located in Nevada, and the power will be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric in California. Prior to Cooper Mountain coming online this month, the largest PV plant in the country was the 25 MW DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center owned and operated by Florida Power & Light. |
| 11/18/2010 | Washington, D.C. – Despite obvious differences in the size and style of the utility-scale solar market in the two countries, there are clear parallels in how policy has shaped solar markets in both the United States and Japan. That is the main finding of a report released today by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), entitled “Policy Changes Trigger Resurgence of Japan’s Solar Market.” SEPA organized a fact finding mission of utility leaders to Japan earlier this year as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to helping utilities make smart solar decisions. |
| 10/20/2010 | Washington, D.C. – Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), today called for utilities and solar companies to work more closely together as both look for opportunities to modernize the electric grid through the utilization of renewable and “smart grid” technologies. Her remarks came during a panel as part of the annual GridWeek conference in Washington. |
| 10/20/2010 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has elected five new members to its Board of Directors and re-elected one member to serve an additional term. The Board members were chosen by a vote of the SEPA membership and announced at its Annual Membership Meeting last week, in conjunction with the Solar Power International trade show. |
| 10/18/2010 | Los Angeles – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today announced the results of the 2010 SEPA Solar Business Achievement Awards. The SEPA Board of Directors and staff are proud to recognize these utilities and solar companies who are responding to the challenges of the solar marketplace with action and innovation. Winners were selected in six categories based upon their demonstration of clear vision and imaginative business strategies. |
| 10/13/2010 | Los Angeles – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today hailed the release of a first-of-a-kind report that shows empirical evidence for the potential for job creation by utilities integrating solar power onto their electric grids. The National Solar Jobs Census 2010, conducted by The Solar Foundation and Green LMI with technical guidance from Cornell University, is the first comprehensive study of solar labor market conditions. |
| 10/08/2010 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) today released the second phase of its Utility Solar Business Models (USBM) report, entitled “Utility Solar Business Models: Developing Value in Solar Markets.” The report provides a uniquely detailed look at the business models of 21 utilities that have integrated solar energy into their energy portfolios. SEPA has been working with electric utilities on USBM development and understanding since 2007 through working groups, reports, workshops, presentations and case summaries. |
| 09/24/2010 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to announce its upcoming webinars as part of its ongoing commitment to provide engaging educational opportunities to its members. These live monthly events provide key industry insight to help industry professionals make smart solar decisions. |
| 09/16/2010 | Washington, D.C. – The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), an educational and research non-profit focused on helping utilities integrate solar into their operations, today released its Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Characterization Review. The review provides an analysis of technical metrics across the commercialized PV materials, including manufacturing processes, efficiency and performance, market applications, and environmental characteristics. |
| 08/16/2010 | Washington, D.C. – Utility leaders on a recent fact-finding mission to Japan led by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) returned with a wealth of new contacts and a refreshed outlook on the solar power market here in the United States. Based on the observation that Japan appears to have embraced solar at the consumer, manufacturing and national policy levels, many of the participants described their renewed sense that the U.S. is also on the right track, with growing utility integration and an interest in more domestic manufacturing. |
| 08/12/2010 | Stamford, Conn., August 12, 2010 — Research undertaken by Gartner, Inc. and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has revealed that utilities are becoming increasingly interested in procuring photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation systems. The Gartner/SEPA survey found that PV is one of the leading technologies for near-term renewable energy for utilities. The survey also found that utilities view onshore wind and biomass as the other key near-term renewable energy sources. |
| 05/19/2010 | Washington, D.C. -The Top Ten utilities' solar megawatts added. The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), an educational and research non‐profit focused on helping utilities integrate solar into their energy portfolios, today released its third‐annual Top Ten Utility Solar Rankings. Pacific Gas & Electric Company of California (PG&E) topped the list of utilities with the most solar megawatts (MW) added to the grid for the second straight year with 85.2 MW, but new additions to the list and overall growth in solar integration by utilities defined 2009, according to the report. |
| 11/04/2009 | ANAHEIM, Calif. Solar Power International 2009, the largest business-to-business solar energy conference and expo in North America, broke attendance records for the sixth year in a row last week. The 2009 conference drew more than 24,000 industry professionals, an increase from 17,500 in the previous year. Attendees originated from 99 countries and a broad cross-section of solar and related industries, including electric utilities, construction and investment banking. The annual Public Night event, open free to the general public, attracted an additional 2,700 people from the Southern California region. |
| 10/27/2009 | Washington, DC - The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) commends Florida Power & Light (FPL) and SunPower for the completion of the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Arcadia, Florida. The facility will overtake Nevada's Nellis Solar Power Plant for the title of largest solar photovoltaic facility in North America. Constructed in less than a year, the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center uses over 90,000 photovoltaic panels to turn the sun's rays into electricity to power more than 3,000 homes. |
| 10/20/2009 |
Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA)
is pleased to announce the Monthly Webinar schedule for the second
half of 2009. These live monthly events provide key industry
insight and are one of the outreach tools which make SEPA the go-to
resource for business-critical networking and unbiased,
comprehensive analysis of the issues and opportunities associated
with making solar practical.
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| 10/20/2009 |
Solar Power International 2009, the
largest business‐to‐business solar conference and expo in North
America, today announced that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will deliver a
keynote speech on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 8:00 a.m. PT. The
conference also announced the line‐up for its annual CEO Panel, in
which top solar and electric power decision‐makers will explore
issues of vital importance to the solar industry.
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| 10/20/2009 |
Solar Power International 2009, the
largest business-to-business solar trade event in North America,
will welcome 900+ companies from every part of the solar value
chain to a sold-out exhibit floor at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy
Industries Association (SEIA), co-presenters of Solar Power
International since 2004, reported that the 2009 event will be more
than double the size of the 2008 event, in terms of exhibiting
companies and the net square footage of the trade show. More than
900 companies will exhibit, reserving a record 203,900 net sq. ft.
of floor space. In 2008, Solar Power International had a total of
422 companies occupying 88,000 net sq. ft. of floor space.
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| 10/20/2009 |
The Solar Electric Power
Association (SEPA) is pleased to announce the release of the
Utility Solar Tax Manual, providing
timely clarity regarding solar tax credit changes for the utility
and solar industries. The manual also sheds light on the
implications of these changes on new business models for both
industries and their customers.
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| 08/31/2009 |
The Solar Electric Power Association
(SEPA) commends the announcement today that Southern California
Edison and First Solar have agreed to build two large-scale solar
power projects in southern California. The agreement marks a key
milestone in achieving SEPA's prediction that electric utilities
will quickly become the largest and most important customer for the
solar industry. According to Southern California Edison (SCE) and
First Solar, the two installations will have a generation capacity
of 550 megawatts of photovoltaic solar electricity, enough to
provide power to approximately 170,000 homes.
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| 07/09/2009 |
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is pleased to
recognize the U.S. Department of the Treasury's release of guidance
documents for the federal cash grant program for solar electric
projects. The program is expected to further strengthen U.S.
electric utilities' ability to integrate solar electricity into the
power grid in the near-term. These cash grants can be utilized in
lieu of federal tax credits, which have become more difficult to
monetize under current economic and market conditions. The Program
Guidance, Terms and Conditions, and Sample Application documents
will provide solar project developers, including electric
utilities, with much needed guidance as they move forward in this
uncertain business environment.
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| 05/28/2009 | Washington, DC - As financial markets deteriorated in October 2008, Solar Electric Power Association Executive Director Julia Hamm challenged the solar and utility industries to deploy solar power on a massive scale despite new economic barriers. She issued the challenge in a speech at Solar Power International, the nation's largest solar conference and trade show. Today, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) issued a report demonstrating that the industry has responded even amidst a tough economic climate. |
| 05/11/2009 |
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) commends the
leadership of Duke Energy for finding common ground with the North
Carolina Utilities Commission and reaching an agreement to move
forward on the proposed $50 million utility-owned distributed
photovoltaic (PV) program, the first of its kind in the
southeastern United States. Under the terms of the agreement, Duke
Energy will commission up to 10 megawatts of roof- and
ground-mounted PV systems located on utility property, businesses,
and homes, leasing customer roof space with the PV systems sending
all of the electricity back into the electric grid. The customer's
electric bill will remain unchanged but they will receive economic
compensation from the lease.
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| 12/08/2008 |
Online Tool Released to Facilitate Utility Exchange of Solar
Experiences and Lessons Learned
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| 03/01/2008 |
As utilities work to meet electricity demand, especially during
peak summer days, examining the relationship between demand and
solar photovoltaic (PV) output can be of significant value to the
utility industry. Over the years, energy researchers have developed
different statistical methods for calculating this relationship.
However, there is no consensus across the utility or solar
industries on a statistical method for calculating the capacity
value of PV or its practical use in electricity markets and utility
planning. The new report, Photovoltaic Capacity Valuation Methods,
released today by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) in
consultation with project partners, and funded in part by the U.S.
Department of Energy?s Solar America Initiative, examines the
variety of capacity calculation methods in use, and lays the
foundation for building consensus within the solar industry,
electric utility, and research communities.
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