1
Revitalizing American Competitiveness in SolarTechnologies
So what is the SunShot Initiative?
2
SunShot InitiativeSunShot Initiative
5 - 6¢/kwh without subsidy
A 75% cost reduction by the end of the decade
Price
3
SunShot
$1/W
Target
$1/W
InstalledSystemsPrice($/W)
$3.80/W
Power Electronics
Balance of Systems (BOS)
PV Module
Estimates made in 2010 for Utility Scale PV plants
4
U.S. Solar Installations
• U.S. PV installations have grown dramatically in the past few years and are expected to
continue to grow
• Currently ahead of SunShotVision Study projections
4
Note: P = projection. PV assumes an 85% DC to AC conversion
Sources: 2006 – 2010: Department of Energy “2010 Solar Technologies Market Report”. 2011: GTM/SEIA : “U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4
2011 & 2011 Year-in-Review”. 2012: median of Barclays (03/19/12), BNEF (02/06/12), Citibank (02/22/12), Cowen (03/20/12) EPIA
(Market Outlook 2011, Global Market Outlook until 2015), Goldman Sachs (02/29/12), Navigant Consulting (01/26/12) Photon
Consulting (Solar Annual 2012), Stifel Nicolaus (01/25/12), UBS (01/20/12). 2016- 2020: DOE “SunShot Vision Study”, February, 2012.
EIA Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) 2012 Early Release, January 2012.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012P 2013P 2014P 2015P 2016P 2017P 2018P 2019P 2020P
CumulativeU.S.Installations(GWAC)
Cum. CSP (SunShot Vision Study)
Cum. PV (SunShot Vision Study)
Cum. PV & CSP (EIA AEO 2012)
Cum. PV (EIA AEO 2012)
Cum. U.S. PV & CSP (Reported)
Cum. U.S. PV (Reported)
US PV Cell and Module Production
Sources: Navigant Consulting, Solar Services Program – 2011 Shipment Update, NPS-Supply6 - April 2011,
Report NPS-Supply4, Report NPS-Supply3.
6
Manufacturing
“Abandoning today's ‘commodity’
manufacturing can lock you out of
tomorrow's emerging industry.”
- Andy Grove, co-founder, former CEO, Intel
7
To compete in the clean energy race,
we have to do more than invent
technologies, we have to make them,
sell them, and use them too.
Secretary of Energy
Steven Chu
8
Incubator Supports Startups
8
9
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Multiple Incubator Rounds
9
Round 5
PV Incubator
Round 4
PV Incubator
Round 3
PV/Pre-Incubator
Round 2
PV Incubator
Round 1
PV Incubator
Round 6 SunShot
Incubator Soft Cost
Round 7 SunShot
Incubator
10
Incubator Startups
10
Caelux
Renewable
Power
Conversion
11
SUNPATH
Contract Duration
2 years
Max Contract Award ($)
$25M, 75% cost-share
Maximum Cost to DOE ($)
$50M
Objective
Domestic industrial scale manufacturing demonstration of a PV
technology :
• 15% lower in cost per watt when compared to the industry
leader
• progressing significantly towards the SunShot goal of $0.50/W
modules
• >25 year lifetime and sufficiently high efficiency for low Balance
of Systems costs.
Replication and expansion of commercial manufacturing of
products and technologies in the US.
SUNPATH goals and the SunShot portfolio
SUNPATH
~$6.50
~$5.50
~$4.00
$0
$1
$2
$3
$4
$5
$6
$7
Residential Commercial Utility
PVSystemPrice/WDC
2010 PV System Prices
BOS-non-hardware
BOS-hardware
Power electronics
Module
12
“Even if you paid nothing for the hardware, you'd
still pay thousands of dollars to install a
residential solar power system” - Secretary Chu
Non Hardware costs:
• Customer
Acquisition
• Financing and
Contracting
• Permitting,
Inspection, and
Interconnection
• Installation and
Performance
The Issue:
 Complicated and confusing process
 Process is different for every local
 Unnecessarily high permit fees
 In-person application submission
and inspection
 Long wait times for inspection
and approval
But Why so Pricey?
13
More Paperwork = Higher Cost
One Hypothetical City’s Process…
15
Pre-Application
Install
Complies with
Zoning Rules
Apply to
Commission A
Receive
Commission A
Approval
Special
Building
Type?
Yes
UtilityTrack
Utility-Application Solar to be
utility
connected?
Apply
Electronically for
Interconnection
Apply via mail for
Interconnection
Utility Report
Auto-Generated
Person Creates
Utility Report
Report Sent to
Appropriate Area
> 30 kW?
Contract
Type 1
Authorization
Letter
Equipment
Spec
Sheets
3-Line
Diagram
Application
Type 2
Application
Fee
Application
Type 3
No
Yes
Yes Yes
Yes
Check Utility
Report
Approve Initial
Design within
10 Days
Engineer
Review
Order
Meter
Time of Use
Metering?
Special
Order
Meter
Utility-Installation
Yes
No
From the Start: Buildings OfficeTrack
Install
Complies with
Zoning Rules
Apply to
Commission A
Receive
Commission A
Approval
Special
Building
Type?
Yes
Electronic
Filing?
BuildingsOffice-Application
Print Forms A & B
for Signatures
Complete All
Paper Forms
Complete Form A,
Architect/Engineer Signs
Complete Form A1 Complete Form A2
Application
Certified?
Application
Review
Requesting
Fire Code
Exemption?
Yes No
Yes
Yes
No
No
More than aYear Later,
You’re Finally Ready for Solar
And Permitting is
Different Everywhere
25
Germany’s Success
26
Sign contract
with installer
Register PV system
with state energy
agency for FIT
(1 page, submitted
online in 15 mins.)
As long as housing structure is built
to code, no permits filed for
residential PV in Germany
Rooftop Solar Challenge
CA NJ
=
CA WI
La Mirada, CA Oceanside, CA
≠
≠
Uniform processes
The Problem
• 18,000+ local jurisdictions with different PV
permitting requirements
• 5,000+ utilities implementing interconnection
standards and net metering programs
• 50 states developing interconnection
standards and net metering rules
The Solution
The Challenge invests in 22 teams comprised of
jurisdictions, utilities, and local stakeholders to
develop the same requirements and processes
across large geographic areas (500,000+ population).
The Challenge also measures each team’s progress
to identify approaches that work.
$2/W SunShot Residential Prize
RFI
28
Residential PV in Germany costs ~$2.50/W
Residential PV in the US costs ~$6/W
Thank You
Minh Le
Chief Engineer, Acting Deputy Program Manager
SunShot Initiative

Minh Le - GW Solar Symposium 2012

  • 1.
  • 2.
    So what isthe SunShot Initiative? 2 SunShot InitiativeSunShot Initiative 5 - 6¢/kwh without subsidy A 75% cost reduction by the end of the decade Price
  • 3.
    3 SunShot $1/W Target $1/W InstalledSystemsPrice($/W) $3.80/W Power Electronics Balance ofSystems (BOS) PV Module Estimates made in 2010 for Utility Scale PV plants
  • 4.
    4 U.S. Solar Installations •U.S. PV installations have grown dramatically in the past few years and are expected to continue to grow • Currently ahead of SunShotVision Study projections 4 Note: P = projection. PV assumes an 85% DC to AC conversion Sources: 2006 – 2010: Department of Energy “2010 Solar Technologies Market Report”. 2011: GTM/SEIA : “U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2011 & 2011 Year-in-Review”. 2012: median of Barclays (03/19/12), BNEF (02/06/12), Citibank (02/22/12), Cowen (03/20/12) EPIA (Market Outlook 2011, Global Market Outlook until 2015), Goldman Sachs (02/29/12), Navigant Consulting (01/26/12) Photon Consulting (Solar Annual 2012), Stifel Nicolaus (01/25/12), UBS (01/20/12). 2016- 2020: DOE “SunShot Vision Study”, February, 2012. EIA Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) 2012 Early Release, January 2012. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012P 2013P 2014P 2015P 2016P 2017P 2018P 2019P 2020P CumulativeU.S.Installations(GWAC) Cum. CSP (SunShot Vision Study) Cum. PV (SunShot Vision Study) Cum. PV & CSP (EIA AEO 2012) Cum. PV (EIA AEO 2012) Cum. U.S. PV & CSP (Reported) Cum. U.S. PV (Reported)
  • 5.
    US PV Celland Module Production Sources: Navigant Consulting, Solar Services Program – 2011 Shipment Update, NPS-Supply6 - April 2011, Report NPS-Supply4, Report NPS-Supply3.
  • 6.
    6 Manufacturing “Abandoning today's ‘commodity’ manufacturingcan lock you out of tomorrow's emerging industry.” - Andy Grove, co-founder, former CEO, Intel
  • 7.
    7 To compete inthe clean energy race, we have to do more than invent technologies, we have to make them, sell them, and use them too. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
  • 8.
  • 9.
    9 2007 2008 20092010 2011 2012 2013 Multiple Incubator Rounds 9 Round 5 PV Incubator Round 4 PV Incubator Round 3 PV/Pre-Incubator Round 2 PV Incubator Round 1 PV Incubator Round 6 SunShot Incubator Soft Cost Round 7 SunShot Incubator
  • 10.
  • 11.
    11 SUNPATH Contract Duration 2 years MaxContract Award ($) $25M, 75% cost-share Maximum Cost to DOE ($) $50M Objective Domestic industrial scale manufacturing demonstration of a PV technology : • 15% lower in cost per watt when compared to the industry leader • progressing significantly towards the SunShot goal of $0.50/W modules • >25 year lifetime and sufficiently high efficiency for low Balance of Systems costs. Replication and expansion of commercial manufacturing of products and technologies in the US. SUNPATH goals and the SunShot portfolio SUNPATH
  • 12.
    ~$6.50 ~$5.50 ~$4.00 $0 $1 $2 $3 $4 $5 $6 $7 Residential Commercial Utility PVSystemPrice/WDC 2010PV System Prices BOS-non-hardware BOS-hardware Power electronics Module 12 “Even if you paid nothing for the hardware, you'd still pay thousands of dollars to install a residential solar power system” - Secretary Chu Non Hardware costs: • Customer Acquisition • Financing and Contracting • Permitting, Inspection, and Interconnection • Installation and Performance The Issue:
  • 13.
     Complicated andconfusing process  Process is different for every local  Unnecessarily high permit fees  In-person application submission and inspection  Long wait times for inspection and approval But Why so Pricey? 13
  • 14.
    More Paperwork =Higher Cost
  • 15.
  • 16.
    Pre-Application Install Complies with Zoning Rules Applyto Commission A Receive Commission A Approval Special Building Type? Yes
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Utility-Application Solar tobe utility connected? Apply Electronically for Interconnection Apply via mail for Interconnection Utility Report Auto-Generated Person Creates Utility Report Report Sent to Appropriate Area > 30 kW? Contract Type 1 Authorization Letter Equipment Spec Sheets 3-Line Diagram Application Type 2 Application Fee Application Type 3 No Yes Yes Yes Yes
  • 19.
    Check Utility Report Approve Initial Designwithin 10 Days Engineer Review
  • 20.
  • 21.
    From the Start:Buildings OfficeTrack Install Complies with Zoning Rules Apply to Commission A Receive Commission A Approval Special Building Type? Yes
  • 22.
    Electronic Filing? BuildingsOffice-Application Print Forms A& B for Signatures Complete All Paper Forms Complete Form A, Architect/Engineer Signs Complete Form A1 Complete Form A2 Application Certified? Application Review Requesting Fire Code Exemption? Yes No Yes Yes No No
  • 24.
    More than aYearLater, You’re Finally Ready for Solar
  • 25.
  • 26.
    Germany’s Success 26 Sign contract withinstaller Register PV system with state energy agency for FIT (1 page, submitted online in 15 mins.) As long as housing structure is built to code, no permits filed for residential PV in Germany
  • 27.
    Rooftop Solar Challenge CANJ = CA WI La Mirada, CA Oceanside, CA ≠ ≠ Uniform processes The Problem • 18,000+ local jurisdictions with different PV permitting requirements • 5,000+ utilities implementing interconnection standards and net metering programs • 50 states developing interconnection standards and net metering rules The Solution The Challenge invests in 22 teams comprised of jurisdictions, utilities, and local stakeholders to develop the same requirements and processes across large geographic areas (500,000+ population). The Challenge also measures each team’s progress to identify approaches that work.
  • 28.
    $2/W SunShot ResidentialPrize RFI 28 Residential PV in Germany costs ~$2.50/W Residential PV in the US costs ~$6/W
  • 29.
    Thank You Minh Le ChiefEngineer, Acting Deputy Program Manager SunShot Initiative