SEIA Resources
Reports
SEIA produces a variety of research and other supporting resources for the solar industry, ranging from full reports to short factsheets. Below is a list of our reports, organized by date. For a full library of research and resources, click here.
New Guidance on Low Income Housing Tax Credits
The Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has released a report on the use of LIHTC. The report includes use of the ITC in conjunction with LIHTC: “Blending federal LIHTCs with [renewable] tax credits can improve the internal rates of return on these transactions for investors.”
National Labs Explore Differences in Installed PV Pricing between U.S. and Japan
A recent joint report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that installed PV system prices in Japan are 6% lower than U.S. prices in the residential sector, and 20% lower than U.S. prices in the small commercial sector. Some of this difference is attributed to lower soft costs in Japan.
Solar Market Insight Report 2013 Year in Review
U.S. Solar Market Insight™ is a collaboration between the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) and GTM Research that brings high-quality, solar-specific analysis and forecasts to industry professionals in the form of quarterly and annual reports. Released March 5, 2014.
National Lab Explores Resource Planning of Western Utilities
In a recent report, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory summarizes the Integrated Resource Plans of major Western U.S. utilities to assess their assumptions about future changes within the electricity markets they serve.
Fraunhofer Institute Explores LCOE of Renewable Technologies
Germany’s Fraunhofer institute recently released a report showing continued levalized cost of energy (LCOE) declines for photovoltaic (PV) technologies in Germany and for concentrating solar power (CSP) and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technologies in higher insolation areas outside of Germany.
Solar Homes Fetch Market Premium According to National Lab
A new study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that homes in California with rooftop solar installations sell for higher prices than comparable homes without solar. The authors find that the value of homes increases by $5,900 for every kW of solar installed, though this premium decreases by 9% per year of system age.
Solar Market Insight 2013 Q3
The U.S. installed 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) in Q3 2013, up 20 percent over Q2 2013 and 35 percent over Q3 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residential PV installations. Even more importantly, 2013 is likely to be the first time in more than 15 years that the U.S. installs more solar capacity than world leader Germany, according to GTM Research forecasts.
NREL Report Provides Most Granular View of Soft Costs to Date
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a report that breaks down the ‘soft costs’ associated with the installation of residential and commercial photovoltaic systems in greater detail than ever before, with detailed looks at customer acquisition and system design costs, as well as permitting, inspection and interconnection costs.
New NREL Report Explores REITs and MLPs for Solar
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently released a report discussing the opportunities and challenges inherent in utilizing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) as investment vehicles for the solar industry. The authors also discuss proposed rule changes that could enable renewable energy REITs and MLPs and possible investor reaction to those changes.
Study Shows Reduction in U.S. PV Installation Labor Costs Possible
A new study from the Rocky Mountain Institute and the Georgia Tech Research Institute finds that U.S PV installation labor costs can be decreased from $0.49/watt to $0.29/watt by utilizing installation best practices. Researchers studied installation practices at 26 sites in the U.S. and Germany to determine current practices and future opportunities.