Studies & Research

Rooftop solar panels could meet three-quarters of California’s electricity needs and about 40 percent of the country’s electricity needs, according to a new study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. … Read More →

Several years ago, Nick Rajkovich bought 1,200 acres in California’s Fresno County, planning to grow almonds for his family’s farming business. The ranch had a steady supply of water at the time. But that changed with the state’s latest, relentless drought: Federal water deliveries over the past three years dwindled to zero. “Now the almonds are dead,” Rajkovich says; and with the land bone dry and no relief in sight, “The only thing we can farm is the sun. That’s why solar is the obvious choice for us.” … Read More →

With its progressive politics, high-tech bent and abundant sunshine, California is fast ramping up its production of clean electricity, setting an example its leaders hope the rest of the country, and other nations, will follow as they seek to cut emissions of climate-warming carbon dioxide. … Read More →

olar Market Insight report is a collaborative effort between the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Greentech Media (GTM) Research that provides a quarterly and annual solar-specific analyses and forecasts. On a quarterly basis, GTM Research conducts surveys of installers, manufacturers, utilities and state agencies from which it produces a report on trends in the U.S. photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) markets. … Read More →

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) contracted a study to provide an evaluation of the costs and benefits of the net energy metering (NEM) program in California. This study fulfills the requirements of Assembly Bill (AB) 2514 (Bradford, 2012) and Commission Decision (D.) 12-05-036, to study “who benefits, and who bears the economic burden, if any, of the net energy metering program.” … Read More →

Here we are, four months after 30% panel tariffs were placed on imported crystalline silicon solar panels. Who are the winners, … Read More →

The problem with experiencing a year of explosive market growth is that it can make subsequent years look soft — … Read More →

The White House announced that President Trump has issued a 30 percent year-one tariff on imported solarcells and modules.  Tariffs … Read More →

The growth of renewable power, including wind and solar, has not harmed the reliability of the U.S. electricity grid, according … Read More →

Google has updated its Project Sunroof to include 3-D models of every rooftop in all 50 states. The new software … Read More →

A new report by consulting giant McKinsey finds that Germany’s Energiewende, or energy transition to renewables, poses a significant threat to the nation’s economy and energy supply. One of Germany’s largest newspapers, Die Welt, summarized the findings of the McKinsey report in a single word: “disastrous.” “Problems are manifesting in all three dimensions of the energy industry triangle: climate protection, the security of supply and economic efficiency,” writes McKinsey. … Read More →

Worldwide levels of carbon dioxide — the gas scientists say is most responsible for global warming — reached a significant … Read More →