The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) recently released its latest SEPA Utility Solar Rankings. Of course, there are different ways to rank a utility on its solar merits, so we’re including SEPA’s main two lists/rankings below.

U.S. market share for utility-scale solar projects grew 160% to 1,130 megawatts in 2012 as overall solar capacity passed 2 gigawatts, the Solar Electric Power Association said in a report this month that noted the nation now has more than 300,000 solar projects.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) in April announced its annual Utility Solar Rankings report. NV Energy made the top ten list for the first time, moving to a 5th-place ranking – a jump of 12 spots from the previous year.

SEPA just released its Solar Electric Power Association 2012 Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings Report.

The Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) annual utility solar rankings analyses the US utilities doing most to incorporate solar into their energy portfolio.

As a few enthusiastic states lead the solar industry expansion with pro-solar legislation, the Pacific Gas & Electric company - New Jersey's largest utility - was ranked by the Solar Electric Power Association as the most solar friendly utility company in the country.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has released its sixth annual Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings Report. The sixth edition ranks utilities nationally and by utility type and includes more than 260 of the most solar-active utilities.

The Solar Electric Power Association issued its annual report Wednesday that shows what many solar companies have talked about for a while: islands make good solar markets.

Yet even with the softer market, developers added 144 MW of solar capacity to PSE&G's service territory last year: 39 MW built by the utility and 105 MW installed independently and then interconnected to PSE&G's grid. That was enough to rank PSE&G third among all U.S. electric utilities in terms of solar capacity added to their grids in 2012, according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is an educational nonprofit dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios for the benefit of the utilities, their customers and the greater good. SEPA regularly gauges utility reactions to solar installations. Bob Gibson, SEPA ’s VP of Education and Outreach, compiled this top 10 list of things solar industry stakeholders need to know as they do business with electric utilities.

In 2012, PSEG was again ranked third among all utilities in the U.S. by the Solar Electric Power Association for installing the most solar megawatts in its system.

But the number is growing by about 60 percent a year, Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association, a trade group, said in a phone interview.

Vineland Municipal Electric Utility and the Solar Electric Power Association have announced the utility was recognized as a national leader in the integration and delivery of solar-based renewable solutions.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has ranked PG&E the top utility in the US for additions of solar power for the past four consecutive years.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. topped the nation's electric utilities for the most solar power added to its system in 2012, according to a report by the Washington, D.C.-based Solar Electric Power Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association examined the amount of solar generation integrated into the U.S. power grid by utilities in 2012, and developed top 10 rankings based upon annual megawatt capacity and watts per customer.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has recognized NV Energy as one of the United States’ leading utilities for the integration and delivery of solar-based renewable solutions.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) recently named the Top 10 American electric utilities that added the most new solar power to their systems and the most solar on a watts-per-customer basis in 2012.

The City of Bryan's 2-megawatt solar array is ranked third in the nation for annual solar watts per customer, according to a study by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). The rankings are part of SEPA's sixth annual utility solar report.

The latest ratings from the Solar Electric Power Association show Arizona Public Service producing the fourth-most solar power and Tucson Electric the seventh-most in the country.

Bryan's solar field has earned the city recognition from the Solar Electric Power Association.

Progress Energy Carolinas has become a national leader in deriving electricity from sunlight, the Solar Electric Power Association reported Thursday.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington DC, US) has released its annual ranking of which American utilities added the most solar electric capacity in 2012, both in an absolute and watt-per-customer basis.

The new data from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) indicates that annual solar power in the US surpassed 2 gigawatts (GW) for the first time in 2012 (hitting 2.4 GW, or 2,400 MW).

Arizona Public Service Co. is one of the largest providers of solar power for utilities in the U.S., accord to a report from the Solar Electric Power Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association even ranked Vineland’s solar program first nationwide in 2011 and in the top 10 in 2012.

MECO was ranked sixth in the nation in 2012 for adding new solar power on a per customer basis, according to the educational non-profit Solar Electric Power Association.

Every year the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) tracks which utilities are integrating the most solar in the U.S. It released it’s list of top 10 American electric utilities on April 16 for integrating the most solar in 2012.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has named top 10 U.S. 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.

Public Service Electric & Gas Co. ranked third, following California utilities Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison. Jersey Central Power & Light ranked sixth. The annual rankings were compiled by the Solar Electric Power Association.

And on a related note, the Solar Electric Power Association ranked its top utilities in solar, so you can check out that resource here.

Imperial Irrigation District and the Solar Electric Power Association today announced that IID has been recognized as a national leader in the integration and delivery of solar-based renewable solutions.

California utilities led the nation in integration of solar energy to their power portfolios in 2012, with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and Southern California Edison together accounting for roughly 1,000 megawatts of new capacity, according to new rankings issued yesterday by the Solar Electric Power Association.

Solar energy is spreading quickly across the country with utilities from North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio entering the solar market with new investments. This is according to the U.S. Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), which recently ranked utilities across the nation in terms of how much solar energy they have incorporated into their user base.

The Solar Electric Power Association on Tuesday ranked KIUC as No. 2 on a list of electric utilities that have added the most new solar power to their systems on a watts-per-customer basis in 2012. SEPA is a Washington, D.C.,-based educational nonprofit organization that helps utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios.

For the sixth year in a row, you can take a look at the utilities that have done the most to incorporate solar power into their grids, thanks to the Solar Electric Power Association.

Pacific Gas & Electric far outshines other utilities when it comes to the most solar added to the grid, according to the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), which has released its annual ranking, naming 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.

Imperial Irrigation District and the Solar Electric Power Association announced Tuesday that IID has been recognized as a national leader in the integration and delivery of solar-based renewable solutions.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) says California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in its latest ranking of the top solar utilities in the U.S.

Net-metered projects continue to grow in the U.S., as annual capacity surpassed 2 GW for first time in 2012, according to a report on new trends and solar power connections by U.S. electric utilities released by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has released a new list of the 10 U.S. 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.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) named Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) as leaders out of 10 electric utilities that are interconnecting the most solar into the US power grid.

The Solar Electric Power Association today recognized Hawaiian Electric Company and Maui Electric Company as national leaders in integrating and delivering solar renewable energy.

The list of utilities that made the biggest plays in solar in 2012 is full of names that were not there the previous year, a sign that more power providers are committed to diversifying their electricity portfolios with solar as costs decline, according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

“The next three years are going to be very active,” said Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association. “We are seeing a lot of projects being put in place.”

The Washington D.C.-based nonprofit Solar Electric Power Association on Tuesday ranked the Garden Isle’s Kauai Island Utility Cooperative as second in the nation for integrating and delivering solar energy to its customers.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative was second on the list, with 282 watts of PV installed in 2012, according to the Solar Electric Power Association. The Oahu operations of Hawaiian Electric Co. ranked fourth with 230 watts of PV per capita. Maui Electric Co., a subsidiary of HECO, was sixth with 198 watts per capita.

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has ranked second nationally in the amount of solar installed per customer in 2012, according to an annual survey conducted by the Solar Electric Power Association.

For the sixth year in a row, the U.S. Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has ranked utilities across the nation in terms of how much solar energy they have incorporated into their user base. This year's report shows that solar is spreading quickly across the country with new entrants from North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio joining the old standbys.

Such a mark is uncommon in municipalities, which make up less than 10 percent of the country’s solar energy users, who are mostly residential customers, said Mike Taylor, director of research for the nonprofit national Solar Electric Power Association.

“The next three years are going to be very active,” said Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association. “We are seeing a lot of projects being put in place.”

The GPASI program represents the nationwide transition and evolution of energy mix, points out Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). "Utilities — regardless of whether they are big or small, owned by investors or municipalities or customers, under an RPS mandate or not — are seeing solar as a cost-effective option," she said. "This type of solar progress from a conservative utility with low retail rates and wholesale power costs serves as a strong example for other utilities."

A presentation hosted by the Solar Electric Power Association last week featured FiT programmes in Gainesville, Florida, and Palo Alto, California, demonstrating the mixed fortunes of FiTs in the US.

Xcel Energy is ranked by the Solar Electric Power Association as fifth among United States utilities for solar electric capacity.

That growth has been driven, in part, by net metering, said Eran Mahrer, vice president of utility strategy at the Washington-based Solar Electric Power Association.

HelioSage Energy, a national developer of commercial and utility scale solar projects, has just completed The Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) Fact Finding Mission, a week-long bus tour of solar installations and utility conferences in New York and New Jersey.

A previous report by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report showed that utilities interconnected more than 62,000 PV systems of all sizes. These new systems resulted in almost 1,500 MW of new utility solar capacity, more than twice as much as was added in the previous record year, 2010.

Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), said, "SEPA applauds Georgia Power’s proposal to take this action without a mandate to do so, but rather because it recognizes the value additional solar energy will provide to the utility."

Georgia Power May Buy 210 Megawatts of Solar by 2017 (Bloomberg Business Week)

PG&E Corp. (PCG)’s Pacific Gas & Electric Co. installed 288 megawatts of solar power last year, the most of any utility, according to an April report from the Solar Electric Power Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) held a webinar discussing how its 2012 Utility of the Year Award Winners have integrated solar projects and programs into their electric pipeline in way that works both for their customers and their bottom lines. The utilities, Trico Electric Cooperative, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and Austin Energy, have each developed beneficial methods for integrating more solar into their service territories. The utilities represented a variety of utility types from cooperatives to publicly-traded companies.

Nationwide in 2011, for the fourth-straight year, solar power proved the fastest-growing source of electricity in the United States according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

"It’s not going to be a fast process," said Hamm.  She said that there is a lot of discussion taking place behind closed doors and in one-on-one conversations with industry stakeholders but so far those conversations are just talk.

The Solar Electric Power Association has named CPS Energy President and CEO Doyle Beneby its 2012 Utility CEO of the Year.

CPS Energy President and CEO Doyle Beneby was named 2012 Utility CEO of the Year on Sept. 11 during the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA)’s Solar Power International in Orlando, Fla.

The nonprofit Solar Electric Power Association on Tuesday named CPS Energy President and CEO Doyle Beneby its 2012 Utility CEO of the Year.

The future growth of the solar market will be largely dependent on four factors, Hamm said: social dynamics, political issues, technological issues and economic issues. While the price of natural gas is low now, the industry should remember that in 2008, it was nearly four times its current cost. And increasing demand for coal coming from China and the price on carbon regulation will only cause coal’s cost to rise, she said.

Julia Hamm, President and CEO of Solar Electric Power Association noted that 'we must strive toward a future that has substantial support for solar energy. While some of the uncertainties that impact our future are not something we can control, she said, others we can influence.

Hamm urged the "solar industry and the utility industry to invest in the development of a regulatory structure that allows for a new long-term, sustainable utility business model that encourages customers capable of installing solar to do so and rewards utilities that innovate and create a platform on which solar is fully leveraged for its strengths and which ensures the costs and benefits are fairly distributed."

"Being in a facility that is, in part, powered by solar is a great opportunity and, of course, a symbol of our commitment," says Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, or SEPA. "We salute the Orange County Convention Center for the investment they’ve made."

During the past 20 years, solar energy has advanced from a niche resource with limited applications to a significant energy source for U.S. electric utilities and their customers.

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.

The Solar Electric Power Association's (SEPA) fifth-annual Utility Solar Rankings analyzes the amount of new solar power interconnected by the more than 240 most solar-active U.S. electric utilities, representing more than 99% of the U.S. solar electric power marketplace.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) named Middle Tennessee Electric as a top three finalist for the Utility of the Year award. The cooperative, which serves much of Williamson County, was recognized for its leadership in solar installation projects from a list of 70 other utilities.

Maui Electric Company is now recognized as the nation’s best in Cumulative Solar installations. The ranking was issued by the Solar Electric Power Association in an annual report released recently.

"We're really in an era now where solar is on the radar," said Julia Hamm, SEPA's president and CEO. 'Utilities are truly, on a regular basis, at the CEO level, at the board of directors' level, at the city council level, thinking solar.

In just the residential segment of SHW alone, the Solar Electric Power Association estimates a potential $123 billion market in the US Commercial enterprises accounted for a full quarter of all SHW installations in 2009, according to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

Trico Electric Cooperative is the Solar Electric Power Association’s 2012 Electric Cooperative of the Year. "Trico has long been committed to renewable energy resources," said Vin Nitido, Trico CEO. "We are very honored to be recognized for our efforts in furthering green technologies."

Twenty years of education and research for utilities has put the Solar Electric Power Association or SEPA, as it's known, as close to the solar energy-utility nexus as possible.

Among 51 investor-owned utilities considered, TEP stood out for the breadth of its solar programs, including its adaptation of several different solar technologies, said Julia Hamm, SEPA's CEO and one of three judges who made the award. "There were a couple of things that really jumped out for us with TEP," Hamm said. "They have a very innovative and strong portfolio of activities. They're really trying a whole range of things."

Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association, explains: "It’s somewhat similar to leasing solar panels from a solar company that puts them on your home, except in this case, the utility is putting a larger system somewhere in their service territory. The utility company takes on the risk of owning and maintaining it; customers benefit from no- or low-cost solar, low contract obligations, and portability."

In Arizona, for instance, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) recently recognized Tucson Electric Power (TEP) as the 2012 Investor Owned Utility of the Year for its 45 MW of solar generating capacity.

Two local power companies in the Tennessee Valley Authority service area ranked second and third nationally for growth in sun-generated electricity in the Solar Electric Power Association’s Utility Solar Rankings for 2011.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has released the 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report. According to the report, utilities are adapting to solar as their fastest growing electricity source. In 2011, utilities interconnected over 62,500 PV systems. Thirteen utilities interconnected more than 1,000 PV systems and 22 interconnected more than 500 systems.

That’s according to the recent Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report. The report ranks utilities by region and type, whether it is an investor-owned utility of municipally owned.

2011′s results show a 38% increase in the number of solar PV installations utilities participated in and a 120% increase in the total megawatts installed, according to the Solar Electric Power Association’s “2011 SEPA Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings” report.

The Solar Electric Power Association has released its fifth annual Utility Solar Rankings. The rankings are based on the amount of new solar power, including interconnected photovoltaic (PV) systems, by U.S. electric utilities in 2011.

A recent survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) showed that in 2011 around 63% of new solar capacity in the U.S. came from utilities outside California, the largest percentage on record. Moreover, a total of seven of the year’s top 10 utilities were from outside California, and four of the top-ranking utilities were located in the east.

Altogether, solar increased at an astonishing 120 percent over 2010 levels, with utilities interconnecting over 62,500 PV systems onto the grid, according to the Solar Electric Power Association’s SEPA Top 10, a ranking of the utilities on solar growth.

Earlier this week the Long Island Power Authority was named among the top 10 utilities in the United States with the most solar electricity integrated into their energy mix by the Washington, D.C.-based Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) ranking 4th in the Eastern Region, and 9th in the United States.

On April 18th, 2012, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington D.C., U.S.) released findings from its most recent annual survey of U.S. utilities, noting that growth to a record 62,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) installations was the result of expansion in the U.S. East Coast as well as California and the Southwest.

APS was ranked third in the Annual Megawatts category and fourth in the Annual Watts Per Customer category – both rankings the highest ever for the company – in the 2011 Utility Solar Rankings announced on April 17 by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

This week, the Solar Electric Power Association released a preview of its Solar Top 10, an annual look at which utilities are taking the lead of solar development. The full detailed report will come out in May.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) this week published findings demonstrating growing solar power adoption by utility companies.

Utilities more than doubled their solar output in 2011, resulting in almost 1,500 megawatts of new installed capacity, says a new report from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), a non profit organization, has conducted a nationwide survey on solar power installations. Over 240 utilities participated in SEPA’s 2011 Utility Solar Rankings survey. Finally, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), a supplier of solar energy, has been selected as the topmost solar power provider for the year 2011.

Solar power is the fastest-growing electricity source for utilities, according to a survey released by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

Research from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has found that solar installations by utilities have doubled since 2010 -- increasing 120 percent -- due, in part, to more than 62,000 interconnected PV systems integrated by utilities in 2011.

According to  the Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) 2011 Utility Solar Rankings survey, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) ranks as the nation’s top electric utility in the amount of solar power added to its system.

Mayor Robert Romano made the announcement at a late afternoon news conference in the mayor’s office with a videocast set up with Vineland Municipal Utilities Director Joseph Isabella. Isabella is in Arizona and had just accepted the award from the Solar Electric Power Association, or SEPA."

"A new survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has ranked Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) as the US’s top electric utility in the amount of solar power added to its system in 2011. PG&E is first in the Annual Solar Megawatts category of the more than 240 utilities that participated in SEPA's 2011 Utility Solar Rankings survey.

A new survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) ranks Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) as the nation's top electric utility in the amount of solar power added to its system in 2011.

MECO, with 100.2 watts of PV installed per customer, ranked seventh, according to the Solar Electric Power Association. That was up from 93.5 watts per customer installed in 2010. HECO’s 82.9 watts per customer in 2011 was 10th highest, up from 65.7 watts the year before.

Maui Electric Company is ranked seventh in the nation in a list of top utilities for solar power. In 2011, Maui Electric Company reported a 100.2 watts-per-customer rate, an increase from its 22.8 rate a year before. The Solar Electric Power Association announced the ranking at their annual Utility Solar Conference in Tuscon, Arizona this week.

The Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA’s) 2011 Top 10 Utility Solar Rankings survey reveals that utilities installed almost 1,500 MW of new utility solar capacity in 2011, more than twice as much as was added in 2010.

In 2011, utilities interconnected more than 62,000 PV systems of all sizes, according to a new report from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). These new systems resulted in almost 1,500 MW of new utility solar capacity - more than twice as much as was added in 2010, which itself had been a record year.

Also speaking was Julia Hamm, president and CEO of Solar Power Electric Association. Its 420 utility members represent more than half the nation's power and 90 percent of all solar systems.

The two-day conference – which includes keynote speaker Julia Hamm, president of the Solar Electric Power Association – is providing participants with 'timely information on energy policy, smart grid technology, sustainability, innovation and job growth,' according to conference materials.

Julia Hamm, president of the Solar Electric Power Association, will present a vision for making solar energy a top utility portfolio fuel source by 2030.

“It’s kind of ironic," said Bob Gibson, vice president of market intelligence at the Solar Electric Power Association, "because solar is actually growing very quickly despite these troubles. It’s not on the brink of collapse. You have to distinguish between the industry as a whole and individual companies like Solyndra. The industry as a whole is going to survive and get stronger.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association and the Solar Electric Power Association created quite the buzz this morning when they announced that former President Bill Clinton would be giving the keynote address at Solar Power International in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 12.

The institute and TVA are partnering to host the 2012 Tennessee Valley Solar Solutions Conference, April 10-11, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Industry leaders, policy makers, solar providers and others will gather to share information, tour area solar installations and hear keynote speaker Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association.

Rosendin Electric (www.rosendin.com), one of the nation's largest private electrical contractors and a 100% employee-owned company, was awarded one of three PV Project of Distinction Awards presented by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for the design and construction of an innovative solar array at Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona.

The 5MW multi-technology solar installation at Arizona Western College (AWC) in Yuma, AZ was recognized with a national award this week by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) as one of the three most distinct photovoltaic projects of 2012. The announcement and ceremony took place at PV America's annual conference in San Jose, CA.

Arizona Western College's 5-megawatt solar installation gained national recognition on Thursday after being awarded as one of three most distinct photovoltaic projects for 2012 by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

The 5MW multi-technology installation at Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ was recognized this morning by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) as one of the three most distinct photovoltaic projects of 2012. The announcement and ceremony took place at PV America's annual conference in San Jose, CA.

“It is very important that we continue to acknowledge new innovation in PV and the successful completion of solar projects now and in the future," said Julia Hamm, president and CEO of SEPA. "Our three winners demonstrate the viability and versatility of PV installations as well as the benefits they bring to their local communities. The Arizona Western College Solar Installation not only offsets 100 percent of the campus’ daytime electricity needs but brings together five different solar technologies.   At the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ-9) Complex, PV models were creatively mounted in usable areas, creating dual-purpose structures. Through the Clean Energy Collective and Holy Cross Energy partnership, the Clean Energy Collective Community-Owned Solar Farm makes PV solar energy accessible to everyone on the grid by giving citizens the opportunity to own individual panels."

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) this week announced a newly minted role: vice-president of utility strategy. Eran Mahrer will be focused on "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."

Eight utilities plan to invest $2.5 billion in various solar programs, said Julia Hamm, the chief executive of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) which includes about 400 utilities among its members. "We’ve often heard it said utilities hate solar, but that’s not true--utility skepticism has diminished dramatically, but it has not vanished altogether," she said.

Julia Hamm, President and CEO of SEPA, and Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA, also present leadership perspectives at the general session this morning.  Hamm shares insights on utility solar trends nationwide as well as the unique challenges utilities face as they navigate the changing nature of solar energy. Resch is discussing the state of the industry, reviewing accomplishments to date and future growth opportunities.

At the San Diego Solar Energy Symposium sponsored by CleanTech San Diego and the Solar Electric Power Association at the University of San Diego on March 6, speakers including a top advisor to the Governor presented reports on the progress of California’s shift to renewable power sources—with solar a shining star in the state’s renewable energy portfolio.  How much brighter it will become, however, is dependent on meeting key challenges for the future.

The Solar Electric Power Association welcomed Eran Mahrer into the newly created position of vice president, utility strategy. In this role, 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.

Although it may not yet be apparent to everyone, our portfolio of renewables is growing. In 2010, the Solar Electric Power Association ranked HECO third in the United States for growth in solar power. Hawaii has more solar watts per customer than all but a few U.S. states.

Picker was the keynote speaker on March 6 at the Solar Energy Symposium, hosted by CleanTECH San Diego and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) at the University of San Diego to discuss the future of solar energy in the region.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) president and chief executive officer Julia Hamm explains that the pricing for the program “is based on the value of local solar energy to the utility, which is a win-win that boosts both the local economy and local renewable production while keeping costs low for ratepayers."

Julia Hamm, president and ceo of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) offered an optimistic keynote on a possible solar future. This was predicated upon a national energy policy being adopted by 2013, the bulk of U.S. cars running on electricity, solar becoming the largest job creator in the country, and reaching 30% of utility energy portfolios by 2031.

Julia Hamm, president and chief executive officer of the Solar Electric Power Association, said: "Will utilities in the future just have an interest in owning the inverter? It's a concept SEPA has heard talked about for more than five years. SEPA is starting to see that idea gain some traction. But more utilities are investigating whether they can make it work because they think there's value in it. They want that control and access and the inverter gives them that. If I were an inverter manufacturer right now I'd be all over the utilities talking to them about this idea to see if there is a way they can structure a way which makes sense for everybody. We could see it in the future."

A month later, ASU was named the Solar Partner of the Year by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). The award was created by SEPA to recognize the value that a solar partner can bring a utility in the development and/or implementation of a solar project.

The city’s electric utility recently completed the Solar Electric Power Association’s annual Utility Solar Rankings Survey so its solar accomplishments can be compared to other utilities across the country, Vineland Municipal Utilities director Joseph Isabella said.

Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, told the PHOTON Solar Electric Utility Conference in San Francisco last week: "In 2007/2008, feed in tariff conversations really started to pick up here in the US. There was significant resistance from utilities toward the concept of the feed in tariff. My own personal perspective is the idea of a utility mandated to buy power at a price that they can't control is not appealing to them. That was the initial opposition."

Bob Gibson, vice president of market intelligence for the Solar Electric Power Association, a nonprofit that helps electric utilities use more solar technologies, said the global market for solar has boomed in the past five to six years, and is expected to grow in the United States.

CPS/Oci's proposed 400-MW plant, assuming it is finalized and completed, would be bigger than all but a handful of solar PV plants now on the drawing board across the U.S., according to SEPA in list updated in early December.

The solar industry also has something to brag about. The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) reports that solar grew 69% in the last year, now exceeding 3,100 MW.

A ranking published last summer by the Solar Electric Power Association listed Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG) as the biggest producer of solar power, followed by Florida Power & Light, a unit of NextEra Energy (NEE), and Public Service Electric & Gas, a unit of Public Service Enterprise Group (PEG).

Julia Hamm, Executive Director of the Solar Electric Power Association, discusses the current status of the solar industry and why the utility’s role in the growth of the solar industry is growing.

SEPA’s President & CEO Julia Hamm has strong relationships with individuals at utilities and solar companies worldwide, and is knowledgeable about solar programs, policies, barriers and trends. She is a frequent speaker at regional, national and international conferences and has authored numerous articles on solar trends as well as utility solar programs. Julia is also the chair of the annual Solar Power International conference and expo, the largest solar event in the US with 23,000+ annual attendees from over 90 countries.

Those totals put JEA on a national map: The Solar Electric Power Association, a national educational nonprofit, ranked the city-owned utility No. 7 in the Top 10 list of the amount of solar watts available per customer.

Concern for the environment was the primary motivator for those surveyed by the Solar Electric Power Association, followed by a desire to reduce dependence on foreign oil and energy self-sufficiency. The study predicted reducing energy bills would become more important as the economy sags.

Don Lintvet, of the Solar Electric Power Association, a solar-energy trade group, said city officials aren’t exaggerating a success story about their use of solar energy here. He said annual statistics on the production of solar-produced kilowatt hours per customers will like put VMEU “on the leader board” when the association does its annual review for this year.

On November 2nd, 2011 the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington D.C., U.S.) announced that it has appointed Darren Deffner to the newly created position of director of policy.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has appointed Darren Deffner to the newly created position of director of policy. In this role, he 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.

U.S. electric utilities are participating in a growing number of solar projects with an expanding variety of utility solar business models (USBM). These USBMs can effectively, and often uniquely, align utility interests with policies favoring solar development. Many examples benefit both utility ratepayers and utility shareholders, while helping to further develop solar markets.

Sharp Solar catches up with SEPA at the 2011 Solar Power International Convention in Dallas, TX.

The Solar Electric Power Association report shows that solar energy fields in the city produce 219.7 solar watts of energy per customer by the end of 2010, Isabella said. The next closest in the country is the California-based Silicon Valley Power, which is producing 39.9 watts of solar energy per customer, he said.

Solar energy made headline news this fall but not the kind of news that cheered the solar industry. Solyndra, the bankrupt solar manufacturer from California, became a symbol of the downside of government energy loans. The criticism expanded into knocks against the viability of solar in general.

According to the Energy Information Administration, there were 18,833 megawatts of new capacity introduced in the United States including coal, gas, wind and solar between January 2010 and January 2011, says Mike Taylor, director of research at the Solar Electric Power Association. But solar accounted for only 4 percent of new generation, so the solar push that many experts expected to see hasn't fully taken off.

That's why a Renewable Energy World report on a presentation by Julia Hamm, president of the Solar Electric Power Association caught my eye. In it, she took the audience to 2031 and presented as the CEO of Tomorrow Power and Light, the first US utility to cite solar power as its main source of energy.

Today, I am writing from Dallas, Texas, where I just participated in an inspiring roundtable discussion with leaders of other utilities that are making a difference in renewable energy. I’m at Solar Power International (SPI) 2011 – North America’s largest and most comprehensive solar power trade show and conference, sponsored by two nonprofit organizations, SEIA and SEPA – and I can tell you this: despite the many uncertainties facing us in today’s world, one thing is for sure − the future of solar power is bright.

Most of the women started with their firms when they were small struggling organizations and built them up through their own tenacity and staying power. Hamm spoke of the origins of SEPA when there was no one but her to run the whole organization, which at the time had no payroll, no staff and no office space.  SEPA now employs more than 25 people.

The year is 2031. An electric utility company becomes the first utility in U.S. history to receive its primary form of generation from solar power. This was the scenario presented by Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), during a Solar Power International session on Oct. 19.

Amidst a darkened room, space-age music and a distinct hush, Julia Hamm stepped onstage as the CEO of Tomorrow Power and Light (TP&L) during its annual meeting in 2031. She announced that the utility was thrilled to declare that TP&L was now the first major utility in the continental U.S. with solar power as its top power source, receiving 30 percent of the energy that it delivers to its customers from solar power.

Julia Hamm talks with Jennifer Runyon about how utilities are using solar and explains some of the ways that SEPA is working to bridge the gap between the two industries.

Xcel's Colorado operations were also ranked No. 5 in 2010 by the Solar Electric Power Association for the utility with the largest amount of solar capacity, with 42 megawatts. The No. 1 spot went to Pacific Gas & Electric with 157.2 megawatts. When broken down by watt per customer, Xcel's Colorado operations ranked fourth, with 30.9 watts per customer. Pacific Gas & Electric ranked fifth in this list, with 30.2 watts per customer.

According to the president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, Julia Hamm, solar power has the potential to be the largest job creator in the United States by 2026, and could provide 30 percent of the nation's energy in 2031, according to a report by Green Prophet's website.

The just completed Solar Power International Conference and Exhibition in Dallas Texas painted a bright future for the use of solar energy in the USA, according to Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). Hamm, who addressed the conference a few days ago, predicted that solar energy will become an important of the US utility system during the next 20 years and result of less reliance on fossil fuels.

On October 18th, 2011, Tucson Electric Power (TEP; Tucson, Ariz.) announced that it received a solar business achievement award from the Solar Electric Power Association (Washington, D.C.) for its innovative Bright Tucson Community Solar Program, which allows customers to purchase solar energy directly from their utility.

Tucson Electric Company (TEP) and Salt River Project were also recognized yesterday by the Washington based Solar Electric Power Association for their innovations in renewables. Arizona State also received an award for its commitment to solar power.

The year is 2031. An electric utility company becomes the first utility in U.S. history to receive its primary form of generation from solar power. This was the scenario presented by Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), during a Solar Power International session on Oct. 19.

Florida Power and Light is a leader when it comes to solar power – Armando Olivera explains what he did as a leader to drive his organization's interest in solar power.

According to the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), as many as 50 utility-scale solar projects could be completed by the end of this year, totaling 831 MW.

Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) provided a glimpse 20 years into the future during today’s General Session.  She shared her timeline, which she said requires strong collaboration between the US solar industry and utilities.

"Why isn’t everyone doing these parking projects? There are a lot of people who don’t know the options, and it’s easy to be confused," says Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association, an industry advocacy group in Washington, D.C. "It’s still a market in its early stages."

A recent report by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) shows all three of California’s investor owned utilities (IOUs) in the top ten utility solar rankings for 2010 – much of it DG.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has presented Tucson Electric Power (TEP) with a Solar Business Achievement Award for its Bright Tucson Community Solar Program. The scheme allows customers to purchase solar energy directly from local solar arrays in TEP’s catchment area.

Hamm highlighted that the SPI has reached a record 1,200 exhibitors this year, but added that although times are exciting for the solar industry, they are also challenging. Echoing Hamm, Jefferies International Limited stated in its report from day one that the industry remains challenged. However, it says there are signs of rationalization.

At Solar Power International 2011 in Dallas this week, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) announced the results of the 2011 SEPA Solar Business Achievement Awards.

Separately, the Solar Electric Power Association gave Salt River Project and Tucson Electric Power Co. awards for solar innovation and gave Arizona State University an award for its commitment to solar through its work with Arizona Public Service Co.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has honored Tucson Electric Power (TEP) with a Solar Business Achievement Award for its innovative Bright Tucson Community Solar Program, which allows customers to purchase solar energy directly from their utility.

"If you have a strong handshake, it shows confidence," said Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association, the majority of which is staffed by women. "It seems like a strange thing, but I think it makes a big difference with a lot of men in terms of first impressions."

This year's ranking from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) for top US utility groups in capacity and watts per customer reveals new patterns including an expansion from the West Coast.

Central Hudson Gas & Electric ranks 36 out of 230 nationally participating utilities in cumulative capacity of customer-installed solar electric systems and watts installed per customer, as reported by the Solar Electric Power Association 2010 Utility Solar Rankings. SEPA named Central Hudson among the top 30 utilities nationally in support of solar energy in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The nonprofit Solar Electric Power Association’s annual utility solar rankings report was recently released. According to SEPA, Westminster, Colo.-based Tri-State G&T and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative rank very prominently.

There are limits to the scale advantages, however.  In their 2010 Utility Solar Rankings, the Solar Electric Power Association noted that projects over 50 MW in size have financing and transmission complications that outweigh their scale economies.

"Our 2010 Utility Solar Rankings report found that the 10 U.S. utilities with the most solar activity added 561 MW of new solar capacity last year. This CPS Energy project would produce the equivalent of more than 71 percent of that new capacity on its own," said Julia Hamm, president of the Solar Electric Power Association.

In fact, the Solar Electric Power Association ranked Hawaiian Electric third nationally in 2010 for their increase in solar power per customer.

As for the numbers, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) states that energy output can be decreased by about 10% due to dirt and other residues.

Executives cited the ranking by the Solar Electric Power Association of several local utilities — including KUB and Lenoir City Utilities Board — in solar technology deployed.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), an educational and research non-profit focused on helping utilities integrate solar into their operations, has recognized Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) as one of the top electric cooperatives in terms of utilization of solar power during 2010.

According to the Solar Electric Power Association, New Jersey installed 137 megawatts of solar power in 2010, a 140 percent increase from the 57.3 megwatts installed in 2009 and a 517 percent increase over the 22.5 megawatts installed in 2008.

The Solar Electric Power Association recognized JEA as one of the nation’s top utilities driving solar electric power growth.

The Solar Electric Power Association ranked Nashville Electric Service 10th regionally for total solar megawatts added in 2010 by its customers through Generation Partners.

CPS to add 400 MW of Electricity from Solar (SolarServer)

On July 18th, 2011, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington D.C., U.S.) praised a statement by CPS Energy's (San Antonio, Texas, U.S.) that it will seek up to 400MW of electricity from solar sources, rather than the 50MW it solicited earlier in 2011. SEPA states that CPS Energy's decision was driven by the low prices that the utility received in response to its earlier solicitation.

According to SEPA’s 2010 Utility Solar Rankings, the 10 U.S. utilities with the most solar activity added 561 MW of new solar capacity last year.

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President and CEO Julia Hamm praised the utility for its 'monumental' initiative.

My email in-basket today included a release from our friends at the Solar Electric Power Association that reports on their recent tour of Italian solar projects. I accompanied a group of American utility leaders on a similar SEPA fact-finding mission in Japan last year.

"Solar Power International 2011 is a critical event for solar industry professionals, utility executives, investors, technical experts as well as policy makers who are interested in the latest solar technology, discovering emerging markets, and identifying business prospects," SEPA President Julia Hamm said in a news release."

U.S. utility leaders on a recent fact-finding mission to Italy, led by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), returned with new insights on how to effectively integrate solar as a mainstream energy resource, how to adapt to a rapidly changing market and how policy-makers struggle to encourage sustainable growth in a ‘boom’ market. The lessons learned by touring the second largest global solar market in the world will be useful for domestic utilities as they continue to expand the scope and availability of solar energy in the United States.

Mike Taylor, director of research for the Solar Electric Power Association said the Redskins’ effort "is the equivalent of other iconic type buildings nationally or regionally — governors’ mansions or the White House, Congress or state legislature buildings, military base, influential company headquarters, Google or IBM."

Julia Hamm, president and CEO of SEPA, said the city's power company ranked 10th for Watts-per-Customer among all municipal utilities in the United States.

The Kit Carson service area includes New Mexico’s two largest solar arrays, and is ranked fourth in the nation among rural electric cooperatives by the Solar Electric Power Association.

Hawaiian Electric Co. ranked third among the top 10 utilities nationally in solar generation capacity installed per customer, having put in about 33.16 solar watts per customer in 2010, according to a recent report by the Solar Electric Power Association. The previous year, HECO ranked No. 8.

With its solar feed-in tariff program facing criticism from local contractors, Gainesville Regional Utilities ranked in the top 10 among the nation’s municipal utilities for adding solar capacity in 2010, according to a recently released report from the Solar Electric Power Association.

Since solar thermal projects tend to require years of planning, financing, and construction, it’s unlikely that centralized solar thermal prices will fall as rapidly as decentralized solar PV, supported by this excerpt from a recent Solar Electric Power Association report.

Arizona Public Service Co. and Tucson Electric Power Co. made separate lists for being among the top installers of large-scale solar power among U.S. utilities. The list, compiled by the Solar Electric Power Association, found that APS ranked seventh for installing 29.9 megawatts of solar in 2010.

Solar power may still primarily reside on the West Coast, but utility companies in states outside of California are starting to pick up the pace as far as new development over the past year, according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

It will take some digging to figure that out, of course, but meanwhile, we have the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) to keep us abreast of utility-scale solar investments across the United States. The organization has just released its top utility solar rankings, based on activity in 2010.

A growing number of utilities are installing their own solar projects rather than buying power from private systems, the Solar Electric Power Association says. Utility-owned solar projects increased 300 percent from 2009 to 2010, the association reported this month.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) said it ranked sixth in the nation last year for per-capita additions to its solar energy portfolio, according to a report released this month by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

The Solar Electric Power Association's (SEPA) fourth annual Utility Solar Rankings report analyzes utility solar electricity markets in the United States, focusing particularly on the top utilities that are driving solar electric power growth.

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has released its latest report which showed that U.S. electric utility providers are including more and more solar power generation in their portfolios and much of this increase is happening outside of California.

Other than the fact that the Solar Electric Power Association’s top 10 U.S. utilities integrated 561 megawatts of solar in 2010—up just over 100 percent from the 279 megawatts the utilities integrated in 2009—SEPA’s '2010 Utility Solar Rankings' found something interesting. For the first time, more of the top utilities weren’t in California, and some weren’t even in the Southwest.

Thanks to an interactive map and report on utility rankings from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), we can see which states are using the most solar electricity and which utilities have the most solar electricity customers per watt.

Kit Carson Electric Co-op has announced its placement atop national rankings for solar electric production for the year 2010. The news came via the non-profit Solar Electric Power Association annual utility solar rankings report.

Utilities continue to be a major driving force behind the expansion of solar generated electric power in the United States according to a recently released report by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) ranked sixth in the nation last year for per-capita additions to its solar energy portfolio, according to a report released this month by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

Newark, N.J.-based PSE&G placed third behind Pacific Gas & Electric (PCG) and Florida Power & Light in a ranking of 230 utilities in the amount of solar power in its service territory, according a survey by the Solar Electric Power Association.

"It’s very much policy driven. Targets still comprise a majority of the activity," said Bob Gibson, Vice President of Market Intelligence for SEPA. "Utilities see the costs continuing to come down. Even with that, most of the growth is to meet the portfolio standard. But they see it as the start of having a truly diversified portfolio."

For the third time in the last four years, LIPA has been named among the top 20 utilities in the nation based on the amount of solar electricity it helped deploy in its territory. The rankings, done by Washington, D.C.-based Solar Electric Power Association, placed LIPA sixth among municipal utilities for megawatts installed in 2010 and 20th among all utilities.

The list was compiled by the Solar Electric Power Association. Westminster, Colo.-based Tri-State earned its place of honor by integrating 30 megawatts of solar from the Cimarron Solar Facility in New Mexico. The G&T has a 25-year deal to purchase the plant’s entire output.

The latest report from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) into U.S. utility integrated solar electricity installations has revealed that their numbers grew by 100 percent in 2010 and that the growth is occurring in states outside of California at greater levels than were expected.

Kit Carson Electric Co-op is ranked in the top echelons of a national survey on solar electric production by municipal and cooperative utilities. The co-op came in No. 2 among 230 utilities surveyed by the Solar Electric Power Association for number of watts produced per customer in 2010.

The Solar Electric Power Association said this week that Charlotte-based Duke ranked 10th in the nation for the amount of megawatts brought online last year.

Utilties Double Solar Capacity (Renewables Biz)

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) just released its 2010 Utility Solar Rankings report, which shows an influx of interest in the resource, and much of it is outside of the U.S. Southwest.

Duke Energy Carolinas has cracked the top 10 utilities for solar-power production, according to the Solar Energy Power Association’s annual rankings.

Comprised of American electric utilities and solar companies the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) calls itself the 'go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence.' In its latest report, SEPA's research reveals that utilities are rapidly increasing their solar power generation portfolios and surprisingly the majority of newly installed solar capacity is happening outside of California.

The 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report produced by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) ranked Xcel fourth out of 230 utilities surveyed in the solar megawatts-per-customer category, which measures solar power added per customer served.

SEPA released the 2011 Utility Solar Rankings Report, which found that America's electric utilities are ramping up their use of solar power, and not just in the sunny Southwest.

The U.S. solar power sector had a strong 2010, and 2011 could be even stronger, according to a recently released ranking of U.S. utility-scale solar power from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) (Washington, D.C.).

Kauai Island Utility Co-op ranked second in total solar watts per customer in the Solar Electric Power Association's 2010 utility solar rankings. Hawaii Electric Light Company on the Big Island ranked fourth and Maui Electric Company ranked fifth in total solar watts per customer. Hawaiian Electric Company was ninth on that list.

MECO parent Hawaiian Electric Co. again was named one of the nation's Top 10 electric utilities for the amount of solar power added to its system per customer in the the 2010 Solar Electric Power Association Utility Solar Rankings.

On July 9th, 2011, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington D.C., U.S.) released its fourth annual report ranking the solar electric capacities added by U.S. utilities.

Kauai Island Utility Co-op ranked second in total solar watts per customer in the Solar Electric Power Association's 2010 utility solar rankings.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) released its 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report today that details the top utility companies to add solar energy to their portfolios in 2010.

The top 10 utilities ranked by integrated solar energy capacity added 561 MW of new capacity in 2010, doubling the additions from a year ago, according to a report by the Solar Electric Power Association.

The Hawaiian Electric Company captured third place for national utilities regarding how much solar power per customer was gained in 2010, according to the 2010 Solar Electric Power Association. The competition ranked 230 electric utilities.

Silicon Valley Power, Santa Clara's municipal electric utility, more than doubled its solar installations last year. That earned the utility the number one ranking in the U.S. by the Solar Electric Power Association.

The designation came from the 2010 Utility Solar Rankings report, published annually by the Solar Electric Power Association, or SEPA. Of the 230 utilities that participated in the survey, Banning ranked 10th in the Annual Solar Megawatts-per-Customer category.

On July 9th, 2011, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA, Washington D.C., U.S.) released its fourth annual report ranking the solar electric capacities added by U.S. utilities.

Public Service Electric & Gas and Jersey Central Power & Light ranked third and ninth, respectively, in the amount of solar capacity added in 2010, according to a survey by the Solar Electric Power Association, a green energy trade group.

Silicon Valley Power, Santa Clara's electric utility, has been ranked number one in the country for solar installations by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

According to the Solar Electric Power Association’s (SEPA) most recent report, US-based power utilities are ramping up the use of solar photovoltaics.

In an announcement released this week, the Solar Electric Power Association, or SEPA, said that Silicon Valley Power installed more than 1.8 megawatts of solar last year for an average of 39.9 watts per customer.

Hawaiian Electric Co., serving about 300,000 customers on Oahu, ranked third out of 230 utilities surveyed in the amount of solar generation capacity installed per customer. HECO's 33.16 watts of installed capacity per customer trailed New Jersey's Public Service Electric & Gas at 35.19 watts and California's Silicon Valley Power at 39.95 watts, according to the report from the Solar Electric Power Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), a trade group representing mainly solar-owning utilities, says the top 10 operators added 561MW of solar capacity to their systems in 2010 – a year-on-year doubling.

Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) and Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) ranked third and ninth, respectively, in the amount of solar capacity added in 2010 according to a survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

The City of Santa Clara’s municipal electric utility, Silicon Valley Power (SVP), more than doubled its solar installations in 2010 to be ranked the top utility in the U.S. by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) for new installations based on the average number of solar watts per customer installed.

Oahu beat the Neighbor Islands last year for the amount of solar energy per customer installed on Hawaii’s electric grids in 2010, according to a new study by the Solar Electric Power Association, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios.

According to the 2010 Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) annual ranking, Hawaiian Electric Company has again been named third out of 230 electric utilities nationally for the amount of solar power added to its system per customer in 2010.

Which U.S. electric utilities are using the most solar? In ranking utilities by their totals of newly installed solar power, the fourth annual Utility Solar Rankings report from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) reveals several striking trends.

Electric utilities are not only adding large amounts of new solar capacity to their supply portfolios, many of them are buying the actual power facilities, according to the Solar Electric Power Association’s '2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings' report released today.

The topic was recently addressed by the Solar Electric Power Association in a webinar, "SPVP The Pathway to Grid Parity."

The City of Banning’s Electric Utility has been honored as one of the nation’s Top 10 utilities in the amount of solar power it added to its system per customer served in 2010. The designation came from the 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report published annually by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

Japan’s federal policy, specifically its residential subsidy program that began in 1994, drove the expansion of the photovoltaic market, according to the Solar Electric Power Association.

EPRI coordinated the effort with the Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories and the Solar Electric Power Association.

Bob Gibson, VP for market intelligence at the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), pointed to one large source of growth for the industry: utilities expanding their energy mix to include solar. "In very real and growing ways,” said Gibson, “electric utilities … across the country are part of the renewable energy industry, and in particular, the business of building and providing solar power."

Highlights include a presentation on the market by Bob Gibson, Vice President of the Solar Electric Power Association. The SEIA and SEPA will present the premier Photovoltaic Project of Distinction Award, celebrating major achievements by US companies in the solar energy marketplace.

While the Vestas manufacturing facility brings in job opportunities and economic development to Colorado, the project will provide 55 onsite jobs at the location. Black Hills Energy serves 93,300 electric customers in 21 southeastern Colorado communities and was ranked No. 6 in Total Solar Watts per Customers in Solar Electric Power Association's 2009 Utility Solar Rankings report.

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.

Gridlock, but There’s Hope (RenewablesBiz)

Julia Hamm CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association saw some reasons for optimism in her arena. "Regardless of the policy gridlock we are seeing here in Washington, for renewables, especially solar, we will see rapid deployment even without federal support,” she said. “The question becomes how quickly this will happen and at what scale."

According to data from the Solar Electric Power Association, an industry group, of the top 25 solar photovoltaic projects, 13 were completed in 2010. That includes the largest currently running plant to date, the Copper Mountain Solar Facility in Colorado.

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.

Utilities are increasingly part of this large-scale development. The Solar Electric Power Association released a report at SPI showing that in 2009 and 2010 U.S. utilities were involved in over 800 MW of solar projects (both CSP and PV) worth $2.5 billion dollars.

I also want to thank the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) for hosting this event.

Solar Power International 2010 realized its name and reached critical mass last week, due to the booming global solar industry and the efforts of presenting organizations Solar Electric Power Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Shades of '99-'00, it feels like the Tech Boom Act II. Otherwise known as the Solar Power International show, held Oct. 12-14 at the L.A. Convention Center. A feeling of seemingly limitless optimism filled the hallways and auditorium, as 1000s of senior executives from top renewable energy and solar companies participated in SPI.

The survey was conducted by the independent firm Kelton Research, and the result were presented just before the Solar Power International trade show in Los Angeles.

Jermain was talking about Solar Power International (SPI) 2010’s open-to-the-public night. When SPI -- the biggest business-to-business solar industry convention in the U.S. -- opened its doors, hundreds, including students from at least three local installation programs, streamed in.

Again Solar Power International brings together the companies from around the world that are working diligently at bringing to the population of he world a better living through cleaner air and innovations, that will turn back the clock of potential global warming that has been looming around us all.

Solar Power International has wound down and what was the big news?

Presented by Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Solar Power International 2010 will last till Oct. 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Here at Solar Power International, a conference and trade show that has attracted about 27,000 people to the Los Angeles Convention Center, the exhibit halls and meeting rooms are buzzing.

"Yesterday, I spoke at the Solar Power International Conference in Los Angeles, California. Being at the largest solar conference in North America gives you a real sense of possibility and promise." - Ken Salazar

U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar ushered in the second full day of the 2010 Solar Power International (SPI) expo on Wednesday by signing off on the first large-scale solar energy project to be built on public land in Nevada.

Happenings from around Solar Power International (Los Angeles Times)

Solar Power International, the solar-industry confab taking place in Los Angeles this week, comes to a close Thursday. The conference, which sprawled across the downtown Los Angeles Convention Center, encapsulated many of the key issues the solar community was facing.

A sea of similar looking panels; companies whose names are all deeply different to each other but similar at a glance. If you don't find it faintly ridiculous, you're actually inside it, and the headline from Solar Power International this week is that more people are inside it this year than ever before: 27,000 people, with 1100 exhibitors, converged on LA this week.

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) President and CEO, Julia Hamm, praised the report saying, "solar power will be critically important to... creating jobs and supporting their local economies. With the current economic environment in the U.S. and the need for job creation across the country, now is clearly the time for utilities and solar companies to work together in order to realize the potential employment growth illuminated by this report."

The National Solar Jobs Census was administered through a partnership between The Solar Foundation, Green LMI Consulting and technical assistance from Cornell University. Its findings were made public at the Solar Power International event.

Opening the Solar Power International 2010 Conference and Exhibition today in Los Angeles, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed off on the first large-scale solar project ever to be approved for construction on public lands in Nevada.

At Solar Power International in Los Angeles today, AltaTerra Research unveiled pre-release excerpts of its forthcoming renewable energy industry study, "Utility Solar: U.S. Market Taking Off."

In the opening address to Solar Power International, taking place this week in Los Angeles, CA, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), highlighted solar energy's triumphs and the work left to be done. Below are main points, with a link to the full text of Resch's speech.

Day One of Solar Power International is over. SPI landed in Los Angeles, California along with 27,000 of its closest friends and filled several exhibition halls with solar products and people.

The Solar Power International conference and trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center has attracted 1,100 exhibitors, including big global companies, such as Sharp, LG, Sanyo, 3M, DuPontabout, and 27,000 people. Announcements of new products and deals are being made. Ken Salazar, Interior Secretary, is expected to arrive today to talk about the efforts of the Obama administration for generating large-scale production of renewable energy on public lands.

According to a few announcements that have been made at Solar Power International this week, while the broader economy struggles, the solar industry keeps right on growing.

The issue is expected to be a hot topic of debate this week at the Solar Power International conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center, one of the largest gatherings of its kind.

Rebekah is spending the week nerding out on all things solar at Solar Power International 2010 in Los Angeles. She's picking one item as the "cool solar thing of the day" and blogging on Huffpo about it.

Resch and Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), came on like cheerleaders with the convention’s themes of teamwork and collaboration.

Presented by Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Solar Power International 2010 will last till Oct. 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. As the premier U.S. event for the global solar energy market, the 2009 show broke all previous records and conference organizers expect the event this year to reflect the continued growth of the global solar energy market.

Standing on the same stage that hosted the prime time Emmy Awards just a month or so ago, Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEAI) and Julia Hamm, President of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) began the show by pointing out all of the celebrities who have installed solar power on their residences:  Sheryl Crow, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and many more...

Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), said one of the major trends in solar is diversification. "We're seeing the solar development happen in a much broader way across the country rather than being so California-centric."

"Solar energy is now the fastest growing energy source in the United States," Rhone Resch, SEIA's president and CEO, said Tuesday during the opening session of the Solar Power International 2010 conference in Los Angeles.

Solar Power International has taken over downtown Los Angeles. Guestimates are that 27,000 people will descend on the Los Angeles Convention Center to view the 1,100 solar exhibitors.

I'm in Los Angeles at the Solar Power International conference hoping to find some solar-powered news to bring home.

The Solar Energy Industries Assn., which is co-sponsoring the show with the Solar Electric Power Assn., estimated this week that the U.S. could install more than 1 gigawatt this year.

The night before the kickoff of this week's Solar Power International (SPI), a lovely, sunny Southern California evening, found us sitting in a nice hotel lobby with casual but energetic meetings taking place all around. It seems natural to think about the 'Big Picture.'

There’s a logical reason for this. I don’t think anyone in the industry will be in town to take my calls. They’ll all be in Los Angeles at Solar Power International.

Armed with new products, trends and insight, solar professionals from around the world are set to unite at Solar Power International 2010, the largest business-to-business solar event in North America, Oct. 12-14, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. Co-sponsored by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the annual trade show and conference offers solar professionals three days of valuable networking opportunities.