February 2012 - Community Solar Program Design: Working Within the Utility
February 2012 - Centralized Solar Projects Update Bulletin (Q4 2011 & Year in Review)
January 2012 - US Fact Finding Mission Briefing
January 2012 - Heating Up: The Impact of Third-Party Business Models on the U.S. Market for Solar Water and Space Heating
December 2011 - Utility Solar Business Model Quarterly Bulletin: "Regulatory Considerations"
December 2011 - Buy versus Build: A Qualitative Comparison of Financial, Tax and Regulatory Issues Influencing Utility Solar Procurement
November 2011 - Electric Utilities' Solar Employment Needs Brief
Community Solar Program Design: Working Within the Utility - February 2012
Utility Solar Business Models (USBMs), given their often unique and innovative approaches, require cross-functional coordination within the utility for both their design and operation. 'Community Solar' programs are one type of business model that exemplify this innovation and that also have significant interest in the utility industry. This Technical Brief considers the point of view of the community solar design person or team within a utility and qualitatively explores the inter-departmental strategic needs that should be addressed as a community solar program is developed.
Members: Full Report • USBM Database
Utility Solar Business Model Quarterly Bulletin: "Community Solar" - August 2011
This electronic bulletin is part of an ongoing collaborative research between SEPA and EPRI to document and examine the expanding range of utility solar business model activities in acquiring solar energy and owning PV assets. The third bulletin includes a community solar theme, highlighted in the featured article on programs and their associated challenges and benefits, a Q&A with three utility program managers, two new case studies on program details, and an updated calendar of SEPA/EPRI events.
Members: Full Report • USBM Database
Photovoltaic Incentive Programs Survey: Residential Participant Demographics, Motivations and Experiences - November 2009
In coordination with SEPA, an electronic survey was developed and distributed by U.S. utility and state PV incentive program managers to consumers who installed PV systems and received a rebate to offset the cost. The survey asked about the participants' satisfaction and experiences with the installation, incentive, interconnection, and ongoing maintenance of their systems. The resulting report analyzed the data across geographies to draw distinctions and parallels across the country.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report • *Executive Summary • Slide Deck
Residential Photovoltaic Metering and Interconnection Study - March 2008
Utilizing data from a survey of 63 U.S. utilities, this report establishes a baseline of utility practices related to residential grid-connected solar photovoltaic metering and interconnection practices.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Utility Solar Business Model Quarterly Bulletin: "Regulatory Considerations" - December 2011
This electronic bulletin is part of an ongoing collaborative research between SEPA and EPRI to document and examine the expanding range of utility solar business model activities in acquiring solar energy and owning PV assets. The fourth bulletin includes a regulatory considerations theme, highlighted in the featured article exploring the utility-regulator relationship and how regulators shape business models, two new case studies on utility programs that were revised after regulatory or stakholder input, and an updated calender of SEPA/EPRI events.
Members: Full Report.
Decoupling Utility Profits from Sales: Issues for the Photovoltaic Industry - February 2009
The reduced sale of electricity creates an inherent problem for electric utilities in maintaining long-term operating revenue, especially as the solar industry expands. Decoupling is a regulatory policy option that can change the way utilities recover revenues to adjust this disincentive. This decoupling white paper introduces the concept into the solar community, explaining what decoupling is, and defining the different types. It includes a case study showing how solar market development in the future might affect utility rates under decoupling.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Distributed Photovoltaic Generation for Regulated Utilities - February 2009
This analysis looks at both the regulatory and practical issues surrounding the installation and ownership of distributed generation photovoltaic systems by electric utilities, including an overview of the regulatory process, the standards utilities must demonstrate to regulatory for approval and various configurations of utility ownership.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Centralized Solar Projects Quarterly Bulletin (Q4 2011 & Year in Review) - February 2012
SEPA's members-only quarterly solar projects bulletin will provide a summary and commentary on the centralized PV and CSP projects activity in the United States. This special Year in Review edition of the bulletin covers project development activity in the 4th quarter as well as 2011 as a whole. Thirty-one large projects (>5 MW) were completed totalling 420 MW of capacity, a 72% megawatt growth over 2010. Over 4,000 MW of new projects started construction in 2011 and will be completed between 2012-2015. Some key uncertainties on future project developments include: federal tax policy, the outcome of the federal Chinese module proceedings, and utilities that may have filled their project pipelines for the near-term.
Members: Full Report
Buy versus Build: A Qualitative Comparison of Financial, Tax and Regulatory Issues Influencing Utility Solar Procurement - December 2011
It is of little surprise that utilities are looking to add solar to their generation portfolios given the expansion of renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and the significant decline in installed PV costs. This report explores a utility's two solar procurement options - ownership or contracting. The analysis considers financial, tax and regulatory implications that impact a utility's decision whether to buy (PPA) or build (own) solar generation.
Members: Preview • Full Report
Non-Members: Preview • Purchase Full Report
Centralized Solar Projects Quarterly Bulletin (Q3 2011) - November 2011
SEPA's members-only quarterly solar projects bulletin will provide a summary and commentary on the centralized PV and CSP project activity in the United States. The third quarter saw 15 new project announcements, 9 projects starting construction and 9 projects completed. As we approach year's end, there will be a notable uptick in construction as the U.S. Treasury 1603 Cash Grant and the U.S. DOE 1705 Loan Guarantee program potentially expire (unless renewable by federal action).
Members: Full Report
Centralized Solar Projects Quarterly Bulletin (Q2 2011) - July 2011
SEPA's members-only quarterly solar projects bulletin will provide a summary and commentary on the centralized PV and CSP project activity in the United States. The Q2 2011 bulletin covers 27 project in various stages of development, including 19 new project announcements, 4 projects commencing construction, and 2 completed projects. This issue's featured article is a brief overview of the US DOE Loan Guarantee Program.
Members: Full Report
Normalization of Solar Investment Tax Credits - June 2011 (updated 1/2012)
In 2008, the solar investment tax credit (ITC) eligibility was expanded to include electric utilities, creating an interest in utility ownership of solar assets. To date, utilities have announced or are implementing over 900 MW of utility-owned projects, which is a growing and important fraction of the overall solar market over the next five years. However, the IRS code contains certain provisions, called "normalization rules," which can have adverse effects in utilities' use of the ITC and the resulting project costs. This brief describes the issue of normalization in more depth and offers case studies of utilities as they relate to normalization of solar ITCs.
2012 updates on normalization requirements included.
Members: Full Report
Non-Members: Purchase Report
Centralized Solar Projects Quarterly Bulletin (Q1 2011) - May 2011
SEPA's members-only quarterly solar bulletin will provide a summary and commentary on the large-scale PV and CSP project activity in the United States. The Q1 2011 solar bulletin covers 44 projects in various stages of development, from announcements to completions, as well as any cancelations, that have occured in the first quarter. Also included, the bulletin's featured issue covers project viability.
Members: Full Report
Centralized Projects Quarterly Bulletin (2010 Year-End Summary) - February 2011
SEPA's members-only quarterly solar bulletin will provide a summary and commentary on the large-scale PV and CSP project activity in the United States. In this case, large-scale is defined as greater than 5 MW. The Q4 2010 solar bulletin includes a quarter- and year-end summary of the projects that were built, started construction and announced in 2010.
Members: Full Report
International Utility Survey: Utility Procurement Influences & Practices - August 2010
Gartner and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) conducted a survey of 134 utilities in Europe and the United States to understand their requirements and objectives for implementing photovoltaic (PV) technologies in their energy generation portfolios. This telephone survey was complemented, in the U.S., by an online survey.
Members: Executive Summary • Full Report • Webinar Recording • Slide Deck
Non-Members: Executive Summary
Utility Solar Tax Manual - January 2009
In 2008, Congress extended the federal solar investment tax credit for eight years and removed the utility exemption, allowing regulated investor-owned utilities to utilize the credit. This manual provides detailed explanations of the tax provisions related to the bill, as well as exploring other tax issues such as Clean Renewable Energy Bonds, and unique business tax structures and issues.
Members: Preview • Full Report
Non-Members: Preview • Purchase Report
Update: Download Treasury Cash Grant Update 1 & 2, Q&A Webinars
Utility Solar Procurement Study - January 2009
This report identified best practices for traditional utility solar procurement (RFPs/PPAs) and innovative new acquisition methods that may present cost or efficiency solutions for both utilities and the solar industry.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Special Report: Electric Utilities and Solar, A Market Review - September 2008
In the last year, U.S. electric utilities' engagement with grid-connected solar electricity has increased significantly, with major photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar thermal (CST) announcements by utilities, their customers, and third-party solar developers. This executive review of utility activity, rankings and future announcements provides a concise summary of current and future utility solar activities.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
SEPA/EPRI Brief - Solar Augmentation of Fossil-Fired Power Cycles - September 2011
Authored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the brief looks at the current state of research and deployment for solar augmentation with traditional fossil fuel power plants, i.e. concentrating solar power (CSP) hybrid configurations. CSP plants have thus far been largely designed and developed as stand-alone solar projects but pairing them with existing and new natural gas and coal plants can potentially offer more cost effective deployment.
Members: Full Report
PV Technology Characterization Review - September 2010
The PV market continues its explosive growth and simultaneously a wide array of commercially available PV technology and application options are emerging. This SEPA report provides a comparative understanding of the PV technologies along with pertinent metrics, from the manufacturing process through deployment in the field across a broad range of upstream and downstream metrics, including manufacturing processes, feedstock and materials availability, module physical and operating characteristics, market applications and environmental characteristics.
Members: Executive Summary • Full Report • Webinar Slides
Non-Members: Executive Summary • Preview Report • *Purchase Report • Webinar
Photovoltaic Capacity Valuation Methods - May 2008
This report catalogues the statistical methods used to measure the relationship between peak electricity and solar PV output, compares all the methods in three case studies for three electric utilities, and documents the results from a 2007 workshop on the topic with utilities, industry, and other stakeholders.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
US Fact Finding Mission Briefing: California's Solar Dream: Insights from the largest and most dynamic solar markets in the US - January 2012
In November 2011, SEPA traveled to Southern California to study the largest solar market in the country. The 4-day SEPA event, held from November 14-17, took participants to four solar facilities across Southern California and gave them the opportunity to learn from some of the solar-leading utilities in the country. This briefing provides an overview of the trip as well as some key takeaways for both the participants and those considering attending future fact finding missions.
Members: Full Presentation
Heating Up: The Impact of Third-Party Business Models on the U.S. Market for Solar Water and Space Heating - January 2012
In recent years, a number of turnkey solar thermal providers have entered the US market. The report begins with a review of solar thermal market research for both residential and commercial sectors, including loan-centered models, solar thermal ESCOS, third-party leasing, third party shared revenue projects, and third-party energy services agreements. The last section looks at one critical, remaining question: How can SWH businesses attract the upstream financing they need to scale up turnkey solutions? Breakthrough companies have learned how to attract necessary investment by achieving economies of scale and by mirroring the performance metrics of solar PV developers.
Members: Full Report
Electric Utilities' Solar Employment Needs Brief- November 2011
The rapid growth of solar electric markets has in-turn required electric utilities to adjust and increase their staffing capabilities to manage everything from distributed customer systems to centralized purchasing contracts to utility owned projects. SEPA's new brief, Electric Utilities' Solar Employment Needs, builds upon the recent analysis in the utility chapter in the U.S. Solar Jobs Census report to create a more complete and unique picture of the utility solar workforce.
Members: Full Report
Non-Members: Purchase Full Report
Utility Perspectives: SEPA's Utility Solar Conference Highlights - September 2011
The Solar Electric Power Association's 2011 Utility Solar Conference was held in San Diego July 26-27 and gave utility planners, engineers and program managers a forum where they could learn in formal conference sessions, but also compare notes, explore what-if questions and brainstorm creative solutions to today's solar challenges with one another. Fourteen conference panels, two keynote addresses, an awards presentation, and several networking sessions followed over the next two days.
Members: Full Report
Italy Fact Finding Mission: Assessing the Impact of Bold Policy Measures on the Development of a Sustainable Solar Market - July 2011
SEPA annually leads a group of utility leaders on a fact-finding mission to learn how solar markets are developing in different parts of the world. In May 2011, SEPA traveled to Italy to study the country's successes, current challenges, and future approaches surrounding the development and grid integration of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) resources. The key takeaways from the SEPA fact finding mission are explored in this report.
Members: Executive Summary • Full Report
Non-Members: Executive Summary • *Purchase Full Report
2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings - June 2011
The fourth annual Utility Solar Rankings report ranks U.S. electric utilities based on the solar megawatts and watts-per-customer in their solar generation portfolios. The top ten rankings include national, regional by utility-type rankings. The report further examines key utility solar trends.
Members and Non-Members: Executive Summary • Full Report • Webinar • Slide Deck • Dataset
Utility Solar Business Model Quarterly Bulletin: "Utility Solar Asset Ownership" - June 2011
This electronic bulletin is part of an ongoing collaborative research between SEPA and EPRI to document and examine the expanding range of utility solar business model activities in acquiring solar energy and owning PV assets. The second bulletin includes an arcticle on utility solar asset ownership and some of the issues to consider before enacting such programs, and two USBM Case Studies: Duke Energy Carolinas Solar Photovoltaic Distributed Generation Program, and San Diego Gas & Electric's Solar Energy Project. In addition, it highlights a USBM unearthed during SEPA's recent Solar Fact Finding Mission to Italy, and provides a run-down of assorted USBM news.
Members: Full Report • USBM Database
Hybrid Utility Solar Business Models Technical Brief - May 2011
U.S. electric utilities are developing solar projects that employ a variety of utility solar business models (USBMs), including utility ownership, customer programs, financing, or energy purchases. These developments have been well documented in SEPA’s prior 2008 and 2010 USBM reports (access here). However, utilities are now combining these approaches in customized ‘hybrid’ USBMs that combine two or more of these business strategies that are tailored to their specific regulatory and operating environments in ways that increase utility, industry and social benefits. This Technical Brief explores these hybrid USBMs strategies and considers whether it signals an important trend toward greater utility engagement in the solar business.
Members: Full Report • USBM Database
Utility Solar Business Model Quarterly Bulletin - February 2011
This electronic bulletin is part of an ongoing collaborative research effort between SEPA and EPRI to document and examine the expanding range of utility solar business model activities in acquiring solar energy and owning PV assets. The inaugural bulletin includes an article on Emerging Utility Solar Business Models: Providing Utility Experience and Value, and two USBM Case Studies: SMUD SolarShares Program and Arizona Public Service Community Power Project. In addition, it announces the new EPRI SEPA USBM Database.
Members: Full Report • USBM Database
Policy Changes Trigger Resurgence of Japan's Solar Market- November 2010
SEPA annually leads a group of utility leaders on a fact-finding mission to learn how solar markets are developing in different parts of the world. In July 2010, SEPA traveled to Japan to study the experience of Japanese utilities and industry in integrating large amounts of distributed photovoltaics (PV) into the grid, to explore the solar research initiatives being undertaken by the Japanese government and its research bodies, and to investigate Japan's solar policies, and the effect of those policies on the commercialization of solar technologies. The key takeaways from the SEPA fact finding mission are explored in this report.
Members: Executive Summary • Full Report
Non-Members: Executive Summary • *Purchase Full Report
National Solar Jobs Census 2010 - October 2010
The National Solar Jobs Census 2010, conducted by The Solar Foundation and Green LMW with technical guidance from SEPA, SEIA, and Cornell University, quantifies the current employment and projected growth of the United States solar industry, including utility jobs within the solar industry, which may grow by more than 20 percent over the next 24 months.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report
2009 Utility Solar Rankings - May 2010
The third annual Utility Solar Rankings report ranks U.S. electric utilities based on their solar megawatts and watts-per-customer. The top ten rankings include annual, cumulative, regional by meter configuration as well as utility types. The report further takes a look at three key utility solar trends. In addition to the report there is an executive summary available for download as well as a slide deck with all relevant figures and tables from the report that our members are welcome to use in presentations.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report • Executive Summary • Slide Deck • Webinar Recording
2008 Top Ten Utility Solar Rankings - May 2009
Each year, SEPA conducts a nationwide survey of utilities to find out how much solar electricity was integrated into their service territories both annually and cumulatively. The resulting report crowns the most solar integrated utilities in the United States and discusses the large scale solar projects being planned for the future.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
2007 Top Ten Utility Solar Rankings - October 2008
In early 2008, SEPA conducted a nationwide survey of utilities to find out how much solar electricity, e.g. PV and CST, was integrated into their service territories through the end of 2007. The resulting report, which will be released annually, crowns the most solar integrated utilities in the United States and discusses future solar market development issues that have arisen recently.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Fact Finding Mission to Germany for Utility Decision Makers - June 2008
Thirty-five US utility decision makers traveled with SEPA to Germany in June 2008 to examine how they can emulate the success of German utilities in integrating large quantities of solar electricity into a national utility grid without creating transmission bottle necks, system quality distortions, and scheduling issues. This report summarizes the findings for other US utilities.
Members & Non-Members: Full Report.
Utility Solar Business Models Phase II: Developing Value in Solar Markets - October 2010
Utilities, regulators, and solar companies have been thinking creatively about new Utility Solar Business Models (USBM) that better align utility interests with policies favoring solar development. USBMs are distinct in that they offer present or future value to utilities, as well as to utility customers and society, to support utility actions that advance larger renewables and carbon reduction goals. To help in the development of USBM strategies, SEPA has also developed a decision mapping tool that can be used as a complement to this report, or as a stand-alone thought exercise. The accompanying report and decision mapping tool represents the second phase of this project.
Members: Executive Summary • Full Report • Decision Mapping Tool (Interactive) • Decision Mapping Tool (Static) • Webinar
Non-Members: Executive Summary • Preview Report • *Purchase Report (Report and Decision Mapping Tool)
Utility Solar Business Models - May 2008 *Access to USBM Case Summaries: Click Here
While renewable market requirements are driving solar investment currently, business opportunities are beginning to emerge for utilities to become involved in the solar value chain. This report highlights emerging utility business models that provide value-added solutions for utilities, customers, and the solar industry.
Members & Non-Members: Executive Summary • Full Report
