We Make Solar Happen

Bringing together industry and the public sector, SolarTech drives the growth of solar energy at the state and local level. We focus on results; our efforts provide best practices and implementation standards that make mass adoption of solar a reality

SolarTech drives six key issues that reduce cost, save money and support innovation: Join one of our six committees today and make an impact in the industry!

• Permitting
• Performance
• Finance
• Workforce Development
• Installation
• Interconnection

As a non-profit private/public consortium, our five year action oriented roadmap will achieve a 20% annual reduction in solar energy project deployment times for residential, commercial, non-profit, and government solar energy systems.

Accomplishments

• Permitting: Working Group Lead Goal #1 – BACC (Bay Area Climate Collaborative). Partner with DOE’s Solar America Board of Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs) on best practices and adoption.


• Performance: Collaborating with the California Public Utilities Commission, NREL, Sandia National Labs and over 50 companies to drive market signals from cost to energy generation based.


• Financing: Developed the first industry standardized Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) contract templates, reducing finance transaction costs and shortening contract negotiations.


• Workforce: Released the industry’s first “Framework for Industry Workforce Development” together with the CA State Chancellor’s Office and IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council).


• Installation: Releasing a site inspection, installation, and quality control checklist through member companies in tandem NABCEP (North American Board of Energy Practitioners).


• Interconnection: Facilitated collaboration by over 100 individuals, companies, utilities, and interstate agencies at July Symposium to pursue optimal solutions at federal, state, and local levels.

Objectives

• Permitting: Reduce permit times by 50% by 2011, resulting in $1-2,000 saved in reduced cost per install for BOTH cities and solar installers.


• Performance: Make buying solar systems easier with standard performance metrics and energy yield education tools resulting in 25% faster buying decisions.


• Financing: Develop standards and best practices of financing related contracts, resulting in 25% reduction in transaction costs.


• Workforce: Link 2-year, 4-year, utilities, and private workforce training organizations to create an integrated Silicon Valley regional energy job training clearinghouse by 2012.


• Installation: Reduce installation time by 20% by 2011; resulting in $.50/W saved in reduced fees.


• Interconnection: Drive consistency and standardization of PV Solar interconnection best practices / processes resulting in a 50% decrease in interconnection cycle time by 2012.