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A Sunny Outlook for Solar Energy in 2015
Now that it’s time to start settling into the new year of 2015, what is there to say about the
outlook for solar power? One way that we can set expectations for the New Year is to take a
look back at what happened in 2014. Did things work out for solar advocates and investors?
Luckily for us solar power enthusiasts as well as those who might be thinking about installing
their own residential solar panels, the future looks bright.
Some of the best news in solar power comes from abroad. While in the domestic US market
prices are still low for solar power installations, international investments bring great news for
solar power.
One Sunny Day in Germany…
It should be no surprise that Germany was able to break a truly exciting record this past year.
The European country has been investing in solar power for some time, and they are
recognized as world leaders in the pursuit of green energy. German chancellor Angela Merkel
was reported in 2011 as saying, "We want to end the use of nuclear energy and reach the age
of renewable energy as fast as possible.”

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Merkel truly is committing her administration to some staggering and admirable goals. By 2022,
she would like to shut down all nuclear reactors, and by 2050, she hopes for a full 80% of
energy consumed in Germany to come from renewable sources, such as wind power, solar
power, and hydro-electric power.
The great record breaking occurred on one particularly sunny day in June of 2014. On this day,
a full half of all energy consumed by Germany was produced by solar power alone! Not by a
group of renewable energy sources - just solar power.
Bloomberg’s Businessweek also reported positive gains in Germany’s overall green energy
output. In August of 2014, they had already increased total solar energy production by 28%
compared to that same time period in 2013. Overall, at least 31% of Germany’s energy had
been produced by renewable sources.
Residential Panels on the Rise in the UK
The United Kingdom saw a burst of interest in residential solar panel installations. There are
several different classes of solar installations, each suiting different client needs: commercial
and residential. In the United Kingdom, residential solar panels played a starring role in the
country’s 2014 energy investments.
That’s not to say that commercial investments or overall interest lagged. In Britain particularly,
The Guardian quotes Ray Noble of the UK National Solar Centre saying “Britain has virtually
doubled its capacity in the last year, with 80,000 more installations.” He points out that not all of
these installations were residents stepping up to invest in solar power: some several thousand
commercial projects were counted within the 80,000.
But the most impressive gains were made in the personal investments fronted by citizens in the
United Kingdom. Of the 530,000 solar power installations that are currently operating in the UK,
a whopping 510,000 are residential.
Clearing the Skies in China
China is a country notorious for its pollution problem. In the last year, documentation of the
extreme state of air and water pollution has flooded the Internet, in the form of journalistic
articles and harrowing pictures. It’s likely that in 2014 anyone on the Internet came across one
of the many pictures that are circulating, showing how the intense air pollution has blocked the
silhouette of city skyscrapers. Citizens within urban districts can be seen wearing facemasks to
help them breathe clearer, cleaner air. If any country would need to switch to solar energy as
soon as possible, it may just be China.
In 2014, according to Bloomberg’s Businessweek, China’s leaders were sensitive to this need,
and acted fast to install more solar panels in the country, switching energy production to
renewable, non-polluting sources. With many recent solar projects already installed in the rural
western portions of China, where the population is spread thin across farming districts, the
country is now committing in 2015 to up its solar installations in urban areas, where drastic
change is needed fast.
Great Prices in the US

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Falling prices for solar installations in the US should be old news by now. For years, prices for
solar energy installations have been steadily decreasing. Additionally, many different incentives,
tax breaks, group plans, and general government subsidies exist to help stimulate greater
investment in solar power.
The incentives and tax breaks vary, state by state. For the latest information on a geographical
area of interest, try searching the Internet for more information on what is available in that state.
Solar energy companies are also always eager to discuss payment plans and special pricing
rates, and any other deals that may be available to consumers.
There’s a consensus! Across the United States, and around the world, more people and more
leaders are coming to recognize the need to invest in solar power. In 2014, the facts around
green energy adoption tell a hopeful story, creating a positive outlook for many years to come.
More and more benefits are being created for those who make the switch to green energy. To
reap these benefits, consult with a solar energy provider and find out if 2015 might be the year
that green energy comes to your home or business, too.
About Revolve Solar
Revolve Solar is a leader in the Solar Industry. Located in Central Texas and Northern
California, the focus is on customer service for both residential and commercial
clientele. Saving the world and your money one system at a time.