SEIA - Solar Events at COP16

U.S. and Global Solar Industry Present Accelerated Solar Solution at U.N. Climate Talks
Global solar industry shows capacity to create more jobs, produce clean energy and fight climate change worldwide

WASHINGTON, DC – The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA®), along with more than 40 leading solar industry organizations from around the world, highlight solar energy's potential for job growth, increased clean energy capacity and pollution reduction with a new report and at a series of events at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16) in Cancun, Mexico on Monday, December 6, 2010.

The group produced a report showing that by 2020, combined world solar deployment could reach a level that reduces carbon pollution by 570 megatonnes, an amount equivalent to taking 110 million cars off the road or shutting down 100 large coal plants*.

Together the U.S. and European Union alone are projected to create more than 1.8 million solar jobs and to reach 700 gigawatts of solar electric capacity and 280 gigawatts-thermal of solar thermal capacity by 2020. The United States is projected to create nearly 700,000 jobs and reduce 117 megatonnes of carbon emissions by 2020.

In addition to SEIA's official events below, the association presents an exhibit booth at Cancun Messe from Monday, Dec. 6 – Friday, Dec. 10, and displays an installation of solar photovoltaic powered 'dancing' flower sculptures at the Moon Palace Hotel where delegates are meeting. The solar flowers are part of a global petition effort to encourage world leaders to enact policies that accelerate solar deployment. Solar flowers will be delivered to political leaders around the world following the event and donations will be used to fund solar projects in developing countries.

Also, a new solar energy system now powers the Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun, Mexico, owned by Palace Resorts and host site for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The 130-kilowatt project was led by Enel Green Power, with support from the Italian Ministry of the Environment and SEMARNAT, the Mexican Environment Ministry. The thin-film, lightweight solar photovoltaic panels were produced by SEIA member United Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENER).

SEIA NEWS CONFERENCE
Official UNFCCC News Conference

WHAT:	News conference describing the U.S.'s potential to become the world's largest solar market within five years and related job creation. With anticipated growth of 10,000 megawatts annually, the industry can displace 10 coal plants per year and power 2 million households. Smart policies such as the U.S. Treasury Grant program have already helped grow solar by 40 percent annually over the last decade. Currently, solar employs 93,000 Americans in all 50 states. With the right policies in place, solar energy can support 440,000 jobs in five years.
WHO:	Rhone Resch, President & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association Martha Duggan, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs, ECD/United Solar John Stanton, Vice President, Government Affairs, SolarCity
WHEN:	Monday, December 6, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (CST)
WHERE:	Press Conference Room 2, Moon Palace

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SOLAR POWERING THE PLANET: FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING JOBS TODAY
Official UNFCC Side Event

WHAT:	Event highlighting a comprehensive report by solar industry organizations from around the world, showing the industry's ability to create jobs, deliver clean energy and combat climate change.
WHO:	Rhone Resch, President & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association (U.S.A.) Ingmar Wilhelm, President, European Photovoltaic Industry Association Simon Rolland, Policy and Development Manager, Alliance for Rural Electrification
WHEN:	Monday, December 6, 2010, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CST)
WHERE:	Room 4 (Room Aguila), Cancún Messe

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SOLAR RECEPTION
Official event at the U.S. Center

WHAT:	Solar industry leaders from around the world host a reception to highlight the solar industry's role as a solution technology in combating climate change.
WHO:	Rhone Resch, President & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association (U.S.A.) Ingmar Wilhelm, President, European Photovoltaic Industry Association
WHEN:	Monday, December 6, 2010, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (CST)
WHERE:	U.S. Center, Cancún Messe

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Background Materials
SEIA® policy overview of Treasury Grant Program: Policy
SEIA® and GTM Research U.S. Solar Market InsightTM
www.SolarCOP16.org
Electronic copy of the "Seizing the Solar Solution" report: http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/SEIA-COP16_LR.pdf

Photo of solar on Moon Palace Hotel, site of the U.N. delegate climate talks:
http://www.seia.org/galleries/default-image/MoonPalace_Uni-solar_array.jpg



SEIA - Innovation Recognized at SEIA's PV America Solar Conference

Industry highlights turning points in technology, financing, and policy

PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today announced the winners of Industry Innovation Awards at the inaugural PV America conference and trade show in Philadelphia, PA.

“As we’ve seen in Philadelphia this week, the solar industry is continuing to prove it is generating clean energy and creating good-paying, green jobs,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. “Manufacturers are increasing production of PV panels, new installers are being trained every day, and consumers are eager to purchase them. Innovators like New Jersey utility PSE&G are leading the way to make solar power the cost-effective, clean energy option for homes and businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic.”

During the conference, SEIA recognized the following innovations:

Innovation in PV Technology

• Dr. Richard Swanson, founder, President and Chief Technical Officer of SunPower was recognized for his outstanding achievement in the development of SunPower’s high-efficiency, all-back contact solar cell. In 2003, SunPower announced that its all-back contact cell reached efficiencies greater than 20 percent, achieving 50 percent more energy than conventional solar cells.

• Barry Cinnamon, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Akeena Solar was recognized for their new Andalay AC solar panel system. Building on Akeena’s award-winning racking and framing technology of their Andalay system, Andalay AC integrates Enphase micro-inverters into the panels themselves, eliminating 80 percent of the parts needed to install an ordinary solar power system as well as its complicated DC wiring. The resulting simplified installation process requires less training, and the fully integrated inverters allow for greater flexibility in system design and decreased engineering costs while providing a sleek, jet black attractive design.

Innovation in PV Financing

• Jigar Shah, President of Jigar Shah Consulting was recognized for his game-changing innovation in solar financing by founding SunEdison and introducing the power purchase agreement to commercial solar financing. He saw that consumers wanted to install PV panels, but could not afford the upfront costs. Instead he saw that a company could be commercially viable by installing PV systems for no upfront costs, if the consumer agreed to buy the electricity produced by the system at a set price for at least ten years.

• David Arfin, Vice President, Strategy for SolarCity was recognized for creating the company’s SolarLease, a first-of-its-kind solar financing option that allows consumers to install PV systems for a low upfront cost with an agreement to purchase the electricity produced by the system over a fixed period of time for a fixed cost. As fossil fuel prices fluctuate, consumers will achieve greater savings over time by paying a fixed price for clean solar electricity.

Innovation in Utilities

• Mark Kehrer, Director of Finance for Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), was recognized for the Solar Loan Program that will provide nearly $105 million in loans for PV installations over the next two years to their residential, business, municipal, and non-profit electric customers. The program is intended to reduce the overall cost of developing, installing, financing, and maintaining projects by allowing customers to repay the loan over 15 years using solar renewable energy certificates (RECs) or cash.

PV America was presented by the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) in partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 34th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) and the local Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA) to bring together solar PV manufacturers, developers, and installers to market directly to businesses and consumers. PV America attracted over 2,300 industry attendees and 138 exhibitors. Additionally, more than 1,700 local residents attended Tuesday’s Public Day to see the latest innovations in PV technology and opportunities to install clean, affordable solar energy on their homes and businesses.

The second annual PV America will be in Tampa, Fla. from May 24-26, 2010. During Wednesday’s plenary, Resch announced that next year’s PV America has already sold 25 percent of exhibit space.