“ "But if you are talking the price per kilowatt, we will
never see single-digits again, fossil fuels or in solar," ”
—
“ US producers of solar power will no longer need federal subsidies
within eight years because by then solar power will cost less than electricity
generated by conventional power plants, industry players said this week.
“The US government recently extended tax breaks for wind and
solar producers for another eight years. They are set to expire in 2016.
“Solar power, which contributes less than 1 percent of US electricity
generation, has been growing rapidly in the United States but remains
reliant on state and federal subsidies to make it competitive versus
power plants that run on coal or natural gas.
“ "We designed the eight-year tax credit extension very
purposely," said Rhone Resch, president of Solar Energy Industries
Association. "We believe that at the end of that time, solar will
have achieved grid parity, which means simply that we will be the lowest-cost
source of retail electricity in almost all 50 states." ”
[Quoted from planetark.com]
“The solar tax credits were originally enacted in the 2005 and
have created unprecedented growth in the U.S. The amount of solar electric
capacity installed in 2007 was double that installed in 2006.
“ “Over the last 2 years, these tax credits have turned
the solar industry from a small, cottage industry into an economic engine
for America. Electricians, plumbers, roofers and construction workers
can now get back to work. These jobs are the backbone of the American
economy and the solar industry is creating them at a time when they
are needed the most,” said Resch.
“According to a new economic study by Navigant Consulting, Inc.,
the 8-year extension of the ITC will create 440,000 permanent jobs and
unleash $325 billion in private investment in the solar industry. This
study did not factor in elimination of $2,000 monetary cap on the residential
credit, so the actual job creation and investment could be even greater.
“ “This is a big boost for the residential market in particular,
allowing homeowners to contribute to our nation’s energy independence,”
said Efird [Solar Energy Industries Association chairman and president
of Suntech America]. “It also opens the floodgates for building
large, utility-scale solar power projects that need longer timeframes
to complete.”
“To date, there are 27 such utility-scale solar power projects
totaling 5,400 megawatts of power in various stages of development;
most were on hold due to uncertainty surrounding the expiring tax credits.”
[Quoted from seia.org]
