GW Solar Institute Annual Report 2009

THE SOLAR REPORT

THE GW SOLAR INSTITUTE 2008-2009 ANNUAL REPORT

T h e G W S o l a r I n s t i t u t e

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR .................................................................................................................................................. 2

OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

A SOLAR PERSPECTIVE 2009 ............................................................................................................................................................. 6

MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE SOLAR POLICY ARENA ............................................................................................................ 8

ADVISING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ......................................................................................................................................... 8 WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES ................................................................................................................................. 10 ASSISTING THE U.S. CONGRESS ......................................................................................................................................................... 12

RESEARCHING AND ANALYZING CRITICAL SOLAR ISSUES .............................................................................................. 14

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH RESULTS ................................................................................................................................ 14 PUBLISHING TECHNICAL AND POLICY PAPERS ................................................................................................................................ 19

RAISING AWARENESS OF SOLAR ENERGY ............................................................................................................................... 22

LAUNCHING WITH A KICKOFF SYMPOSIUM ..................................................................................................................................... 22 EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THE NEWS MEDIA & PRESENTATIONS ......................................................................... 25 ENGAGING THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE WORLD WIDE WEB ........................................................................................................ 26

MOVING FORWARD ......................................................................................................................................................................... 28

APPENDIX I: GOVERNANCE .......................................................................................................................................................... 30

CORE STAFF ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 ADVISORY BOARD .............................................................................................................................................................................. 30 SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30

APPENDIX II: RESEARCH NETWORK .......................................................................................................................................... 31

PARTICIPANTS OF THE GW SOLAR INSTITUTE ................................................................................................................................ 31 AFFILIATES OF THE GW SOLAR INSTITUTE ..................................................................................................................................... 32

Table of Contents

The Solar Institute has made significant progress during its first year including; an involvement in discussions to shape the direction of the new Administration’s solar policies and establishment of strong working relationships with several key policymakers and organizations in Washington, D.C. In addition, the Institute has delivered important research results on technical, economic, legal and policy issues, and it has increased awareness of solar energy through its education and

outreach efforts. The Institute also strengthened its management team with the addition of Debra Jacobson as its Co-Director in September 2009. Debra’s career includes more than 30 years of experience in energy and environmental law and policy, thereby enhancing our ability to successfully pursue the critical interdisciplinary research and analysis necessary in the solar energy arena. Debra’s work included 16 years as a Counsel with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and several years as a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Energy of the U.S. Department of Energy. Since 2002, she has taught a course in Energy Law at the GW Law School and worked as an independent consultant on energy, air quality, and climate change. She also is an Advisor to the Renewable Energy and International Law Project, an international policy and law network for clean energy. Debra’s experience will increase our ability to lead research efforts within the GW community as well as to conduct outreach to policymakers and the environmental community. Research and analysis have underscored the fact that solar energy still faces significant challenges,

including the need for: • further cost reductions; • development and increased implementation of policies that recognize the societal value of

solar energy; • major expansion of the interstate transmission grid; • creative financing approaches; and • successful integration of large amounts of solar power into the electric power system.


From the Director

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October 1, 2009

As we move into the Institute’s second year, we expect to focus continued attention on the critical economic, technical, policy, and legal research necessary to address these challenges. For example, we expect to map out policy options to more fully capture the value of solar energy (e.g., time-of-use pricing). In addition, we expect to analyze options for new financing approaches that are necessary to help overcome the high upfront costs of solar energy and to

address the challenges posed by the intermittent nature of solar energy resources. The next year promises to be just as challenging. We have found that Washington, D.C. is a great place for us. There is a huge interest in solar energy, but an equally large need for objective information. With very large public and private investments and important societal priorities at stake, we must be ready to help provide the necessary information for sound decision-making. Opportunities abound. Chief among them are our work with the Department of Energy’s Solar Vision (which is currently reviewing the necessary steps to reach significant levels of solar energy

deployment by 2030); partnering with the National Academies of Sciences; and participation in Congressional hearings and discussions with Members of Congress and their staffs, including a continuing dialogue with Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (AZ), who is quickly becoming a leader in solar policy. In this spirit, I offer the GW Solar Institute’s Annual Report for our stakeholders, affiliates, and the public to document the progress we have made and the opportunities for the future.

Sincerely, Ken Zweibel Director

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We have made a good start in our first year. We have contributed to the development of U.S. solar policy by the new Administration and have established strong working relationships with several key policymakers and organizations in Washington, D.C. Our Director is participating in a leadership role in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Vision project to accelerate the

deployment of solar energy, and we have been actively engaged in dialogue with the National Academies, who have been tasked to advise the DOE. The Institute also testified in July 2009 before the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment of the House Committee on

Science and Technology on the need for the develop-ment of a new solar research and development (R&D) roadmap. In addition, the Solar Institute has delivered important research results on technical, legal and policy issues, and some of these research results are already contributing to policy initiatives. For example, a project led by a

professor and doctoral student in GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science has identified substantial opportunities to develop solar energy use by the Department of Defense (DoD) at its facilities and in its non-tactical vehicles. Moreover, GW researchers have worked with prominent policy leaders, including interested Members of Congress, to assist in the development of DoD energy reform policies. GW

researchers have provided policy recommendations that are informing legislative initiatives in the 111th Congress. Our education and outreach efforts also have had a strong impact. The April 24, 2009 kickoff symposium highlighted the Institute’s ability to serve as a forum for research and analysis among top-level policymakers as

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Overview

A SOLAR ROADMAP Ken Zweibel and a panel of wind and solar experts

testify before the Subcommittee on Energy and the En-

vironment of the House Committee on Science and

Technology, on July 14, 2009.

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well as business, academic, and financial leaders in the solar arena. The event also served to educate the GW community and outside participants on a broad spectrum of solar energy issues and challenges. It highlighted numerous areas for future academic inquiry

and policy development.

During the past year, media outlets, including The Associated Press, ABC Online, Reuters, and The MIT Technology Review, have reported on our work and

views. In addition, we have established a growing presence on the World Wide Web through our comprehensive web site and our new blogs. Today, in America, we are only beginning the process of forming a consensus about the role of solar energy in the Nation’s energy future. The challenges we face become apparent when we observe the strident public dialogue

on various legislative proposals. Clearly, one contributor to the current lack of consensus about the role of solar energy is the absence of a coherent vision of our country’s energy future and the lack of agreement on key underlying facts. Large-scale use of solar energy seems impossible to many Americans, and many do not understand how an intermittent energy resource can be

readily integrated into the electric grid. Others fear that solar energy will cause large increases in their energy bills, and they often do not understand the high value of solar energy in meeting peak electric demand. Underlying all these issues is a deep sense of uncertainty

about how solar energy works and how this energy source fits into the total energy picture. We intend to play an important role in answering these types of questions by researching key issues and facilitating public education.

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“We can be a resource for policymakers, we can be a resource for industry, and we can be a resource for universities

across the country”

— Peg Barratt, Dean of the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, opening the

Solar Institute Kickoff Symposium, April 24, 2009 .

For the American public to develop a consensus about the role of solar energy in the Nation’s energy

future, they must have a clear picture of how solar energy will contribute to solving the critical

national problems of improving energy security, combating climate change, and enhancing economic

competitiveness. The public is in the process of making a transition from the view of solar energy as “a warm and

fuzzy” technology to the reality that the U.S. solar industry will account for large investments of billions (or even

tens of billions) of dollars per year. Without a clear vision of the role of solar in this transition, the Nation will not

successfully accomplish the necessary paradigm shift.

There is clearly enough solar energy to meet all U.S. electricity needs, and the Institute and others are making

progress in convincing individuals to accept the amount of land that solar energy requires. In fact, the land

requirements for solar energy are at least 30 times less than hydropower when the artificial lakes behind dams are

included. Moreover, the land area is about the same as coal mining but without the damaging environmental

impacts of strip mining and mountaintop removal. These facts are helping us to get past the first level of mental

dissonance that occurs when people get serious about solar energy.

Moreover, the public is beginning to understand that the cost challenges of solar energy can be overcome and that

the variability of solar energy can be managed. The rapid decrease in solar energy costs in the past two years has

been striking. Now, solar energy costs are approaching the costs of conventional electric generation in regions of

the country with strong solar resources and high daytime electricity prices, and solar energy can now compete more

effectively with wind energy for the non-carbon portion of electricity supply that is so important to our future.

Although the intermittency of solar energy poses challenges, experts have found that the solar industry currently

can meet this challenge with backup natural gas generation, solar forecasting, and the geographic dispersion of solar

energy facilities. In addition, the intermittency challenges are even less with solar thermal electric as compared to

solar photovoltaics (PV). Although additional energy storage is likely to be needed at some point, solar deployment

can increase substantially before such storage is needed.

A Solar Perspective 2009

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So what are the significant questions about solar deployment? The energy industry is likely to focus their

deployment efforts first on accelerating the use of solar energy where it already is cost-effective. Thus, the

Southwest U.S., with a special emphasis on California, is a prime target for early deployment. And, it is expected

that solar energy use will increase substantially as solar prices continue to decrease. Thus, it is expected that solar

energy use will expand throughout the Southwest, including high demand states like Texas.

At the same time as most large-scale systems are built in the Southwest, solar energy experts expect to see a smaller -

but important - development of distributed solar energy around the country. It is unclear at this time whether the

Nation will need long, high-voltage transmission lines from the Southwest to regions like the Midwest since wind

may be the major focus of development in certain regions. Meanwhile, competition between solar and wind energy

will occur in places like Texas. The regional breakdown of solar and wind is a key element of a low carbon future

and remains open to competitive adjustment. Solar and wind deployment over the next twenty years will result in a

significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as coal plants and other fossil fuel-fired generators are

displaced.

Another key component of solar energy development is the expected transformation of the transportation sector to

electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The transition to these vehicles will add substantial new demand for

electricity. However, the U.S. should be able to meet this demand with solar and wind energy without building new

fossil fuel-fired plants. Increased use of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will not only remove the greenhouse

gases emitted by the Nation’s huge vehicle fleet but also reduce the energy security problems and economic costs of

relying on imported oil from unstable regions of the world. Supplying electrified transportation with solar and wind

energy is a significant market, allowing both clean energy sources to grow significantly without the initial use of

electric storage. As vehicles themselves become storage the Nation’s need for other means of electric storage may be

postponed until about 2030 and provide the U.S. with breathing room to pursue a successful research program to

develop low-cost electric storage technology.

Current national policy seeks to substantially reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil and to eliminate a substantial

portion of U.S. GHG emissions by 2030. By that time, solar and wind energy should be mature technologies with

attractive economics. In addition, by 2030, the U.S. should seek to assure the development and implementation of

low-cost electric storage technologies that will be needed to harness solar and wind twenty-four hours a day.

Nothing ever happens exactly as we expect it. But having a coherent picture of an energy future that meets the

Nation’s energy needs and is both physically and economically feasible is an important step in building a consensus

for action. The GW Solar Institute is considering the economic, legal, and technical issues to inform this discussion.


Making an Impact in the Solar Policy Arena

ADVISING THE U.S. DEPARTMENT

OF ENERGY During the past year, the Institute has developed a strong working relationship with senior officials involved in the

solar energy program of the U.S. DOE, and our expertise has been sought by these officials. This important advisory role is epitomized by an invitation to participate on the Steering Committee of the DOE’s “Solar Vision” study and to lead the drafting of a key chapter on system cost reduction. The Solar Vision study represents a major effort of the DOE to develop a far more aggressive deployment approach for solar energy in serving U.S.

electricity needs. The study is intended to inform key policy decisions by the new Secretary of Energy, Stephen Chu, the Congress, and other policymakers. The goal of the Solar Vision study this study is to define possible scenarios for solar deployment in the U.S. through 2030. The expert panel is studying several sce-narios, starting with 10% and 20% deployment as a

fraction of total electricity use in 2030. The DOE study also will address technical, economic, and policy challenges impeding solar deployment and recommend actions to address such challenges.

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Sam Baldwin Chief Technology Officer, EERE, DOE

Julie BlundenVP, PP & Corporate Relations, SunPower

Barry Cinnamon CEO, Akeena SolarMartha Duggan VP, Government Affairs, Uni-SolarCharlie Gay President, Applied Materials Rick Gilliam VP, Government Affairs, SunEdison

Nathanael GreeneDirector of Renewable Energy Policy, NRDC

Julia Hamm Executive Director, SEPA

Charlie Hanley Sandia National Laboratory, Solar Program Leader

Dan KammenProfessor, UC-Berkeley, Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory

Tom KeyTechnology Lead, Renewable Energy, EPRI

Josh Linn Massachusetts Institute of Technology

John Lushetsky Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, DOERobert Margolis Senior Solar Analyst, NRELJoAnn Milliken Acting Solar Program Manager, DOEFred Morse Senior US Advisor, Abengoa SolarJohn Mucci VP, Energy & Planning, ConEdisonTerry Murphy President, Solar ReserveLes Nelson President, Western RE Group

Steve O'RourkeManaging Director, Deutsche Bank Securities

Rick Reed President, SunEarthRhone Resch President & CEO, SEIADavid Rubin Director of Service Analysis, PG&EEric Silagy VP & Chief Development Officer, FPLKathy Weiss VP, Government Relations, First SolarRyan Wiser Staff Scientist, LBNLKen Zweibel Director, Solar Institute, GWU

SOLAR VISION STEERING COMMITTEE

GW Solar Institute

SOLAR VISION STEERING COMMITTEE

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DOE is modeling its Solar Vision study on a similar study that the Department released in 2008 for its wind energy program. The 2008 report, titled “20% Wind Energy by 2030,” has provided an ambitious vision for wind energy deployment in America, and the Solar

Vision is expected to do the same for solar energy.1

At the invitation of GW alumnus, John Lushetsky, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency of the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the Institute’s Director is

participating on the Steering Committee of the DOE Solar

Vision along with a blue ribbon panel of national experts. (See above sidebar for a listing of the members of the Steering Committee). A draft report is due early in 2010. In addition, the Director of the GW Solar Institute has been tasked to lead the drafting of the chapter on cost

reduction of photovoltaic (PV) technologies, an essential part of the strategy to achieve rapid solar deployment. The Director is drawing on his extensive experience in research on PV technologies at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to structure this critical chapter. The value of guiding the Solar Vision report with in-depth technical knowledge is underscored by Figure 1,

which can be used to estimate the pace and probability of achieving low price goals. The figure highlights the successful past reduction of PV module prices with increasing production volumes. It was presented recently by several members of the Solar Vision review panel to the Secretary of Energy in response to his

questions about the economic potential of existing PV technologies.

An adaptation of Figure 1 is likely to be included in the cost reduction chapter of the Solar Vision. This important history of PV module cost reduction includes an update from a 2008 estimate and highlights the return of PV prices to their traditional cost reduction slope after a period of shortage that temporarily distorted prices. It also includes the addition of a new curve for thin film PV cost reduction. Figure 1 demonstrates the potential for

achieving very low PV prices, which will help guide the deployment schedule of the Solar Vision. The Institute also plans to provide information from our first-year research projects to solar experts leading other key chapters of the DOE’s Solar Vision. These other chapters involve policy, deployment models, integration with the electric grid, facility siting, environmental

impacts, and solar financing. For example, information from our legal research has been provided to the Solar

FIGURE 1

The falling cost of photovoltaics is central to the U.S.

Department of Energy’s Solar Vision

Vision team drafting the policy chapter, and the work of the Institute’s Scientific Director, Professor Denis Cioffi, and Professor Homayoun Khamooshi of the GW School of Business may be valuable in comparing costs of various possible deployment trajectories. Both research

projects are described in more detail later in this document. The Solar Vision is expected to capture most of the key challenges facing solar energy as it matures from a minor contributor to world energy supplies to one of the largest industries on Earth. The Institute plans to give careful consideration to the Solar Vision study as we refine our

own priorities during the coming year. In addition to the Solar Vision, we are engaged in ongoing discussions with senior officials involved in the DOE’s solar program, including Sam Baldwin, Chief Technology Officer for EERE, who presented at our Kickoff Symposium; and Henry Kelly, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for EERE. We are discussing a broad

range of topics, including DOE and EERE priorities, PV technologies, solar commercialization, DOE’s national laboratories (the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia), and the future of the new ARPA E program. These dialogues are very important as the Solar Energy Technologies Program is redirected under the Administration.

Our advisory role with the U.S. Department of Energy is just beginning. We are hopeful that GW scholarship will become increasingly influential in informing DOE’s policy decisions and in accelerating solar development in America.

WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL

ACADEMIES The GW Solar Institute has benefited by the participation on our

Advisory Board of a key leader at the National Academies, Charles Wessner. He is recognized internationally for his expertise in innovation policy, public-private partnerships, and government efforts to support entrepreneurship. He is Director of the Program on Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship as well as

Study Director of the Small Business Innovation Research Program at the National Academies. At Dr. Wessner’s invitation, the Institute’s Director participated in three important meetings of the National Academies focusing on solar energy: • “Making Big Solar Work: Achievements, Challenges,

and Opportunities” (July 29, 2008); • “The Future of PV Manufacturing in the United

States“ (April 23, 2009); and • “Partnering for Photovoltaic Manufacturing in the

United States” (July 29, 2009).2 These three meetings at the National Academies are part of a re-assessment of the status and direction of the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Program. The results

of these meetings are expected to play a role on framing the options and choices of the Administration. At the July 2008 meeting exploring large-scale solar, the participants examined in detail the opportunities available for solar energy to serve as a major source of

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U.S. electricity. The Institute’s Director extended the discussion beyond solar thermal electric to include PV and provided up-to-date cost information, assuring a more inclusive and realistic assessment.

At the National Academies’ first PV manufacturing meeting in April 2009, the Director presented a review of the status of PV manufacturing worldwide, emphasizing that past government policies in various countries had defined the technology status, manufacturing presence and deployment in each region. Crystalline and thin film silicon technologies are favored in Europe and Asia, whereas the U.S. dominates in cadmium telluride

technology because of U.S. government R&D focus on that material. During the past decade, markets for solar power and solar module manufacturing have flourished in Europe

and Japan due to government incentives. However, such markets and manufacturing have trailed in the U.S. because of a lack of Federal incentives. Thus, the single most important actor worldwide in spurring solar markets and manufacturing has been the government. At the National Academies’ second PV manufacturing meeting in July 2009, the paths forward for accelerating PV R&D were examined , making the case that today’s leading technologies are capable of meeting ambitious low-cost goals. In comparison, others have argued that breakthrough technologies are needed to reach such goals. The choice between these two visions is an important one for the federal government because of the impact on funding priorities. There is no question that research on improved solar energy technologies is welcome. However, the problem is that research on the most promising and high-value solar energy technologies is suffering from neglect.

The Director’s presentation on this subject was covered by the MIT Technology Review. In addition, it was subsequently part of a briefing to Energy Secretary Chu by other participants of the meeting of the National Academies as well as representatives of First Solar and

Applied Materials. In addition, the GW Solar Institute played a valuable role in helping the National Academies involve key leaders of the U.S. PV industry in their meetings. These individuals included: First Solar’s Chief Executive Officer, Mike Ahearn; UniSolar’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Subhendu Guha; and First Solar’s CTO, Dave

Eaglesham. These U.S. PV leaders contributed essential expertise, perspective, realism, and credibility. The National Academies is an exceptionally important part of the solar dialogue in our Nation’s capital. We are fortunate to have Chuck Wessner as a member of our Advisory Board and look forward to continued fruitful collaborations.

“Your participation was an important element in the success of the

conference and a major contribution to the quality of the discussion. Please accept our sincerest thanks for your

willingness to contribute your exceptional expertise to this timely

and policy relevant conference.”

— E-mail from Charles Wessner to Ken Zweibel, concerning the July 29, 2009 PV Conference of the National Academies.

ASSISTING THE U.S. CONGRESS During its first year of operation, the Institute also began to make its mark in Congressional policy deliberations. The Director built important relationships with Members of Congress and their staffs, and he has contributed to both the informing functions and policy-making functions of the Congress. On July 14, 2009, the Director testified before the

Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment of the House Committee on Science and Technology at a hearing on solar and wind energy. 3 The Director’s testimony focused on the desirability of developing a technical roadmap for solar energy -- a subject also covered in the July 29, 2009 meeting of the National Academies attended by the Director and Representative Giffords. The testimony stressed that a narrowly defined

roadmap would be premature, since solar is in an early stage of innovation where new materials and designs are being created. Instead, our Director strongly recommended a high-level roadmap based on key metrics of cost, performance, and reliability. On

September 17, 2009, Representative Giffords introduced legislation, H.R. 3585, in the House of Representatives to direct the Department of Energy to develop such a roadmap.

The Director’s testimony also provided a valuable source of information to the Members of the Subcommittee about the important future role of solar energy as a large-scale source of electricity. No other witnesses at the hearing explained that large centralized solar plants would likely provide a much greater source of electricity than rooftop solar. Moreover, no other witnesses explained that solar PV is already quite competitive with

solar thermal electric systems for such markets.

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GIFFORDS FOR SOLAR U.S Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has lit up the

GW Solar Institute with her optimism to help solve our

nation’s critical energy problems. She participated in

the Kickoff Symposium and meetings of the National

Academies, and she catalyzed our dialogue with

Congressional staff members.

The Congresswoman has been deeply involved in

pursuing the development of solar energy in the U.S.

and in her state. On the House Science and Technology

Committee, she has promoted an agenda of energy

independence and solar initiatives in an effort to make

Southern Arizona the “Solar-con Valley" of the

Nation. She is also Vice Chair of the Sustainable Energy

and Environment Coalition.

In her district, she launched a Community Solar Energy

Initiative to mobilize support and action for the

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In addition, Members of Congress have begun to seek the Institute’s expertise in drafting energy legislation. For example, the Office of Representative Giffords has engaged in a dialogue with the Institute’s Director about

approaches to enhance the financing of solar PV. One idea is to treat income from the operations of PV systems as tax-free. It may be possible to package system ownership as either tax-free annuities or listed shares of Solar Royalty Trusts, similar in concept to real estate investment trusts (REITs), which allow for investment in real estate as mutual funds provide for investment in stocks. Americans could have access to a new, low-risk

but high-yield investment for their savings while catalyzing the solar market. This approach would widen the source of potential investors to a much larger group than those receiving the benefits of the existing solar investment tax credits and would make returns on such investments tax-free. As a result, this policy could achieve a lower cost of money for solar installations, eliminating the dependence on special tax-equity

investors. PV systems are especially attractive for such investments because they are extremely simple and inexpensive to operate, are long-lived (perhaps exceeding 50 years), and they have no fuel price escalation risks.

In the current fiscal environment, it is, of course, important to evaluate any new tax incentives for solar power in terms of cost-effectiveness. Therefore, the GW Solar Institute plans to use the framework for evaluating solar policies that it currently has under development

(see research projects below) to assess the relative effectiveness of this proposal and other options in stimulating solar investment.

increased use of solar energy. This effort led to the

passage of the Solar Energy Research and Advancement

Act of 2007 (H.R. 2774), which encourages R&D and the

training of a solar installation workforce. Giffords also

fought for the eight-year extension of the solar

investment tax credit, enacted by Congress in October,

2008.


Researching and Analyzing Critical Issues

INTRODUCTION The location of the Solar Institute at The George Washington University takes advantage of the unique character of the university and its Washington, D.C. location. Our research accomplishments during the first year reflect the leadership of our faculty in key disciplines and the policy benefits of working in the Nation’s capital.

Our research work from 2008 to 2009 covered a wide range of disciplines, from science and technology (e.g., electrical and systems engineering, engineering management, and chemistry) to business (e.g., economics, decision sciences, and environmental and energy management) as well as energy and environmental law and policy.

The Solar Institute’s first action in the fall of 2008 was the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) to the GW community. The RFP addressed many aspects of solar energy, including economics, public policy, power management, and solar deployment. After an extensive review process with the help of the Research Advisory Board of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, we

awarded funding to ten of the sixteen proposals. The research teams that received funding consisted of

one to three principal investigators, and many of these teams included support from the University’s graduate and undergraduate students. Thus, our projects provide the dual benefits of researching key issues and also training the next generation of energy researchers.

ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH RESULTS During our first year, a variety of projects funded by the Institute achieved significant research results. Moreover, some have the potential to influence current policy deliberations.

Analyzing the Solar Potential of the Department of Defense One of the most important projects in terms of research and policy outcomes has been “The Determination of the Renewable and Solar Energy Transition Potential of Department of Defense (DoD) Facilities and Non-Tactical Vehicles.” Led by Jonathan Deason, Lead Professor in the Environmental and Energy Management Program of the GW School of Engineering and Applied Science, the project is the focus of the doctoral dissertation research of his PhD candidate, Ariel

Castillo. In addition to important technical findings, the research team has worked with senior industry and government leaders to inform national policy.

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Research conducted under this project has included a review of the solar energy potential of land under DoD control and the energy requirements for DoD facilities and non-tactical vehicles. Preliminary results indicate that the DoD would need to set aside less than one

percent of its land area to meet all these energy requirements from solar energy. Currently, the researchers are conducting a system-level study to model facility energy requirements, carbon dioxide emissions, and the solar energy potential of each of the two hundred major DoD bases in the continental U.S. The researchers already have highlighted the

vulnerabilities of DoD’s current energy sources to potential power outages from terrorist activity, natural disasters, cyber attacks or simple grid overload. They also have documented how solar energy could help overcome these energy security challenges through the creation of “electrical islands” on DoD bases. According to a recent interim report prepared by the researchers, these electrical islands are created when DoD bases are

separated from the main electrical grid and instead rely on a renewable energy source for power. Thus, islanding could improve the mission readiness of the DoD, assist in meeting vulnerability challenges in the electric grid, and help reduce DoD’s carbon footprint. In conducting their study, the researchers have worked with prominent policy leaders to assist in the

development of DoD energy reform policies. They have provided policy recommendations that are informing legislative initiatives in the 111th Congress.

Researching Key Legal Issues to Support Solar Expansion Important research findings also have emerged from the work of Lee Paddock, Associate Dean for Environmental Studies at the GW Law School, and his research

EXPANDING THE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY

BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE “The United States Department of Defense (DoD) is the

largest single energy consumer in the Nation, represent-

ing about 80% of the Federal sector demand…. The DoD

could directly meet mission requirements by investing in

solar energy technologies. First, investments in solar en-

ergy technologies could help the DoD meet current Fed-

eral policy goals to reduce energy consumption and CO2

emissions as stated in Executive Order 13423. Second,

future investments in solar energy technologies could

limit DoD dependency on foreign fossil fuel resources,

including foreign oil. Additionally, DoD investment in

solar energy would act as a catalyst and market driver of

technologies.” - Preliminary findings of GW doctoral student, Ariel

Castillo, and Professor Jonathan Deason, August 2009.

colleagues. Their research project, titled “A Legal Framework to Support Rapid Expansion of Solar Energy,” has uncovered important legal issues that can impede solar development, and the legal team has presented some valuable options available to address

these obstacles. One problematic trend highlighted by Dean Paddock’s research is the fact that eight states have considered or are currently considering the extension of burdensome public utility rules to independent third-party providers that contract with energy consumers to install and operate solar energy facilities. These states have

reviewed or are reviewing whether the third-party providers should be treated as a “public utilities” under state law. The third-party providers have been essential in helping to finance solar energy projects but the “public utility” treatment could seriously impede such development. If the third-party provider is treated as a “public utility,”

such action could make existing business models unattractive because of the high costs and extensive regulatory requirements associated with treatment as a public utility.

The GW legal team’s research has highlighted legislative and regulatory approaches taken by several states to overcome this “public utility” issue. For example, in 2009, Colorado enacted legislation to ensure that third-party providers (that supply no more than 120% of the

average annual consumption of an on-site electricity consumer) will not be subject to regulation as “public utilities” under State law. Moreover, the Public Utility Commissions in both Oregon and Nevada have considered this question, and they have determined that third-party providers are not public utilities under their State utility laws. Numerous additional States are likely to consider this issue, and the Institute can play a

valuable role in working with organizations, such as the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commission-ers (the national association of utility commissioners based in Washington, D.C.) to overcome the challenge posed by this significant legal issue. Another important solar priority is the development of legal approaches to streamline the siting of solar energy

systems and new transmission lines. Dean Paddock and his legal team have highlighted valuable precedents that could help overcome these siting obstacles. These precedents involve natural gas pipeline projects as well as certain transmission projects. One contribution that the Institute could make to accelerate the commercialization of solar energy is to outline the lessons learned in successful project siting in order to reduce the possibility

that siting conflicts will seriously delay or kill important new solar facilities. Modeling the Solar Grand Plan to Facilitate Large-Scale Deployment Two Solar Institute projects are seeking to inform the deployment concepts presented in the Solar Grand Plan

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(and its updates) through enhanced computer tools. 4 For example, “A Linear Programming Model to Support Development and Maintenance of a Solar Grand Plan Deployment Schedule” is applying manufacturing, cost, resource, development, and regulatory limitations to the

proposed solar power build-out discussed in the Solar Grand Plan. Competing interests are balanced with a linear programming model to provide an optimized project plan. This optimized plan will detail a defensible, phased build-out schedule for solar PV and other renewable energy generation and associated transmission infrastructure in the United States over the next 40 years. The model will enable planners to develop

a realistic deployment schedule that balances power price increases and construction timeframes with growth in installed solar and other renewable energy capacity. This project is working to identify key “choke points” for large-scale solar energy integration and provide an optimized year-by-year plan for upgrading transmission for these areas.

Researchers Professor Denis Cioffi and Professor Homayoun Khamooshi are taking a different approach to assist in the planning of large-scale solar deployment. Using differential equations, they are modeling how solar, wind and traditional electricity generation sources would compete and would be deployed as solar costs decrease during the next thirty years. Their project, titled “Integrating the Grand Solar Scenario,” is designed to

provide deployment scenarios for any combination of solar, wind, and conventional technologies, based on their relative costs, including consideration of transmission and local sunlight. The deployment scenarios resulting from the Cioffi/Khamooshi model are measured by relative deployment

levels, carbon dioxide emissions, and societal costs. As such, the model provides a user-friendly, flexible tool for comparing different rates of solar deployment. Almost any deployment can be designed and characterized, which allows the use of the model for estimating first-

order costs and carbon dioxide emission reductions. We are working to refine the model so that it can assist in the DOE Solar Vision project. In addition, we are likely to extend the model to a web-based tool in 2010. Analyzing Current Economic Models Another ongoing research project (“The Economics of Solar Electricity Generation”) has identified significant weaknesses in the solar energy assumptions underlying

the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), the major energy forecasting model used by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to forecast future U.S. energy sources. For example, NEMS assumes that PV modules use only crystalline silicon technology. In fact, NEMS parameterizes PV costs by the cost of feedstock silicon! Thus, NEMS ignores the actual use of thin film PV technology, including technologies based on

cadmium telluride, which are in a very significant position in the market. Flaws in the EIA’s NEMS model are extremely significant because they can skew decision-making. NEMS is the primary source of energy forecast information for policymakers in the legislative and executive branches of government, and Congress relies on the analyses of the EIA in legislative decisions in areas

ranging from climate policy to policies involving a national Renewable Portfolio Standard. Therefore, the identification and revision of any errors in the NEMS model are of great policy significance.

Developing User-Friendly Economic Tools Another project funded by the Solar Institute is developing a user-friendly, web tool to evaluate the relative economics of PV and all other electricity sources. The tool includes the potential to examine the economics of power plants for a period of up to 100 years. This long operating life is actually quite characteristic of U.S. electricity plants, since most are refurbished and continue to operate indefinitely.

An initial analysis of such long-lived systems, as shown in figure 2, indicates the cost-competitiveness of even today’s PV systems over the 100-year operating life of fossil fuel-fired and nuclear power plants. PV systems shine in such a comparison, since these systems involve

zero fuel costs and simple technology that lasts indefinitely (with only minor output reductions). The Institute will perform further research on the value of solar PV using this approach in the coming year, aided by the web-based tool being developed under this project.

Analyzing Solar Policies at the Federal and State Level Two Solar Institute projects are focusing on solar policies at the federal and state level. One project, led by Dr. Joseph Cordes, Associate Director GW’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, is developing a policy framework that: (1) summarizes the case for public intervention to promote the use of solar power; (2) develops a typology of different policy options

available for encouraging wider and more rapid use of solar technologies; (3) proposes criteria for evaluating competing policy options; and (4) analyzes some representative examples of policies. To illustrate the application of the solar policy framework, the researchers will apply it to evaluate two cases: (1) the aforementioned proposal to allow

investments in solar arrays to be bundled into financial assets exempt from individual taxation, and (2) the interaction between tax and regulatory policies following the recent extension of the solar investment tax credit to public utilities. The policy framework paper also intends to examine the impact of various combinations of federal and state tax incentives. A potentially useful tool for this purpose is

the most recent version of the NREL Solar Advisory Model (SAM), which added a tax incentives module in June 2009. Preliminary attempts to use the module to examine the financial impact of various tax incentives

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FIGURE 2 Most power plants in the U.S. operate for very long

periods. PV can operate indefinitely with only minor

output reductions. Using such assumptions, PV

outperforms all other sources of electricity over the long

haul due to its zero fuel costs and simplicity of operation.

End of loan payment

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have revealed some potential anomalies with the model, and Dr. Cordes will work with NREL staff to assure that the latest version of SAM can be used effectively to simu-late the impacts of various tax and financial incentives. Researching Improved Processes for Hydrogen Conversion Finally, another project is exploring the economics of a

novel hybrid method (called STEP) for the centralized production of hydrogen gas by electrolysis using photovoltaic electricity and solar heat. Preliminary project results from the STEP project indicate that this hybrid process could cut the cost of producing hydrogen from solar energy by approximately half versus very optimistic solar PV assumptions. Moreover, this hybrid process could decrease the land area required for a solar

hydrogen plant by a factor of five compared to traditional PV-driven electrolysis. Professor Stuart Licht of our sister institute at GW, The Institute for Basic Energy Science and Technology, has applied for a patent on this STEP process, and the GW Solar Institute is helping him contact leaders in the solar industry who might want to collaborate on the commercialization of STEP. STEP also can be adapted

to facilitate the splitting of carbon dioxide into its separate elements and for processing highly energy-intensive chemicals. Both of these applications are drawing attention from the private sector. Developing Interdisciplinary Connections Among Projects As our funded research projects proceed, we are developing interdisciplinary connections among them. For example, our new Co-Director has co-authored a

recent report for the DOE comparing the various

methodologies used to analyze the benefits of solar energy (as well as other renewable energy sources) in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) and conventional pollutants (e.g., nitrogen oxides). The Co-Director and her co-author have found

that the most commonly used methodology for quantifying avoided emissions greatly understates the emission reduction benefits of solar energy. Since several of our researchers are evaluating the carbon dioxide reduction potential of their scenarios, the sharing of information across disciplines will strengthen their research results.

PUBLISHING TECHNICAL AND POLICY PAPERS During the past year, the Director of the Solar Institute and project investigators completed several papers and articles. These papers and articles, which have been published or posted on the Institute’s web site, include the following:

• K. Zweibel, V. Fthenakis, J. Mason, “The Solar

Grand Plan: Solar as a Solution,” Sun and Wind Energy, #4, 2008, pp.112-117.

• K. Zweibel, V. Fthenakis, J. Mason. “The Technical, Geographical, and Economic Feasibility for Solar Energy to Supply the Energy Needs of the U.S.,” Energy Policy, 2008. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2008.08.01

• K. Zweibel, V. Fthenakis, J. Mason, T. Hansen, T. Nikolakakis. “Coupling PV and CAES Power Plants to Transform Intermittent PV Electricity into a Dispatchable Electricity Source.” Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications 16, 2008, pp. 1-20. doi: 10.1002/pip.858.

• Sarzynski, A. “State Policy Experimentation with Financial Incentives for Solar Energy,” 2008.

• Grinlinton, D. “Legal and Policy Framework for Solar Energy in Germany, Spain, Japan, China and Australia,” 2009.

• Grinlinton, D. “Achieving Emissions Reduction and Renewable Energy Targets: The Case for Feed-in Tariffs,” LexisNexis Resource Management Bulletin, 2009, pp. 68-74.

• Krausz, B. “Support for solar power and renewable electricity generation at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.” Diss. The George Washington University, 2009. - WRLC, ProQuest.

• K. Zweibel, “Multi-Gigawatt Thin Film PV,”34th

IEEE PV Specialists Conference, Philadelphia, PA, June 8, 2009.

The first three papers relate to the Solar Grand Plan that was first discussed by the Institute’s Director and two co-

authors in an article in Scientific American in January

2008. These recent papers elaborated on the details of the Grand Plan with respect to the engineering and economics of the interconnected system of storage and transmission that would support the distribution of low-

cost solar electricity from the Southwest to other regions of the country. Key analysis concerned the properties of high-voltage direct current transmission and compressed air energy storage. High-voltage direct current transmission is a low-loss transmission line with attractive economics for long-distance transmission, and compressed air energy storage is one of the few current means of storing bulk electricity that is both relatively

economical and can achieve the scale needed to match national needs. The combination of large-scale solar power, high-voltage direct current transmission and compressed air energy storage may provide a power system capable of dispatching solar electricity at an acceptable price throughout the year and at every hour of the day. However, more near-term refinements of the plan suggest that bulk electricity storage will not

be needed until we reach a significant level of deployment. This and other “Grand Plan” refinements have been the subject of numerous Institute presentations.

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The reports of Andrea Sarzynski and David Grinlinton are preliminary findings in their surveys of state and international solar incentive programs. Their summaries are timely since the U.S. Congress is considering several major pieces of legislation to stimulate the growth of

solar energy. Further publications by project investigators are anticipated as their work is completed during the coming months. In addition, David Grinlinton published article in a New Zealand journal was informed by his work with the Solar Institute. The Krausz thesis paper evaluated the preparedness of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the

coming growth in solar energy and its related infrastructure. Our Director served as thesis advisor to Brian Krausz, a Masters of Science student in GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. Advising graduate research is an important part of the Institute’s mission. The final paper listed above was presented by the

Director at the IEEE PV Specialist’s Conference, and it provided an up-to-date assessment of the state of thin film PV. The paper emphasized the important differences among the various thin film technologies. It explained that amorphous silicon, the oldest commercial thin film technology, is still hampered by low solar conversion efficiencies, while noting that the copper indium diselenide technology, the most efficient thin

film technology, continues to be hampered by manufacturing challenges. In comparison, the Director emphasized that cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology provides both attractive sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiencies and low-cost manufacturing, and it is rapidly moving ahead with both large commercial deployment (over 1 gigawatt cumulative) and the lowest

cost in PV, with modules under $1 per watt in cost. The paper concluded that these important trends are masked by the use of the generic term “thin film PV,” and these trends have important implications for future PV costs. The paper also clarified the competitive position of CdTe

and crystalline silicon.


Raising Awareness of Solar Energy

LAUNCHING WITH A KICKOFF

SYMPOSIUM “SOLAR ENERGY: A SOLUTION TO ENERGY

AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS?” On April 24, 2009, the Solar Institute held its kickoff symposium on the key theme of solar energy as a potential solution to two of our most worrisome challenges: climate change and energy self-sufficiency. The April 24 symposium highlighted the Institute’s

ability to serve as a key forum for research and analysis among top-level policymakers as well as business, academic, and financial leaders in the solar arena. The event also served to educate the GW community and outside participants on a broad spectrum of solar energy issues and challenges, and it highlighted numerous areas for future academic inquiry and policy development.

The speakers at the symposium included prominent solar experts: • Hans-Josef Fell, a Member of the German

Parliament and leader in promoting the legislation central to Germany’s successful solar energy deployment, the so-called feed-in tariff;

• Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, a member of the Science and Technology Committee of the U.S.

House of Representatives and a solar energy leader;

• Ted Turner, a leading figure in international business, philanthropy, and renewable energy;

• Rhone Resch and Julie Hamm, Executive Directors of the two leading solar trade associations, the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Solar Electric

Power Association; • Jon Wellinghoff, the Chairman of the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), one of the most important federal energy agencies;

• Sam Baldwin and John Lushetsky, senior officials involved in solar issues in the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy;

• Robert Margolis, Senior Analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Nation’s pre-miere renewable energy laboratory;

• Richard Perez, Professor of the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center at the State University of New York at Albany and one of the most prominent solar researchers in the country;

• Stephen O’Rourke, Managing Director of Deutsche

Bank Securities and one of the top financial analysts in the solar energy arena; and

• Karin Corfee and Wilson Rickerson, top consultants in the field of solar energy incentives.

The presenters at the symposium discussed the tremendous potential for solar industry growth and the

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enormous solar resource available in the U.S. and world-wide. For example, Hans-Josef Fell spoke of the rapid growth of solar energy in Germany -- electricity generation from solar PV increased 60% between 2006 and 2007. Richard Perez highlighted the enormous

potential of solar energy as he stressed: “It would take one-third of one percent of U.S. land area to produce all the electricity in the United States.” In contrast, he noted that hydropower already covers 1% of U.S. land area (when the lakes behind dams are included) while only producing seven percent of U.S. electricity needs. The participants at the symposium also agreed that solar

technology and deployment have advanced rapidly in recent years in a broad range of markets. For example, they noted that solar plants of 1 Megawatt (MW) in capacity were rare in the U.S. just a few years ago but that numerous U.S. solar plants in the 100+ MW range have been announced in the past year, and a few produce even more than 1 gigawatt.

The symposium participants discussed recommenda-tions to overcome challenges currently impeding rapid expansion of solar energy. One of the major areas of discussion involved financial incentives, particularly feed-in tariffs. Parliamentarian Fell highlighted the extremely successful implementation of feed-in tariff legislation in Germany. This legislation helped to spur solar energy production in that country to the highest

levels of any nation in the world and also catalyzed an investment in solar PV production that has resulted in major cost reductions and technical innovations. Other speakers at the symposium summarized the growing consideration of feed-in tariffs in the U.S. at the state and local levels and noted the introduction of the

first federal legislation in this area. Until recently, the U.S. has relied almost exclusively on State Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) laws (currently in about

three-fifths of the States) and Federal Investment Tax Credits (only in recent years). Wilson Rickerson underscored the fact that many feed-in tariff policies have been implemented to supplement State RPS laws (rather than as a substitute for such laws). He also cited the potential for using feed-in tariffs in tar-

THE SOLAR ENERGY OPPORTUNITY

Ted Turner spoke passionately about his vision for solar

energy and offered his support to the Institute stating:

“I’m excited about the Solar Institute here at The George

Washington University because the Institute is really

thinking big about the issues that need to be addressed

for solar to be a large source of our country’s energy

needs….” -Presentation of Ted Turner, GW Solar Institute,

Kickoff Symposium, April 24, 2009.

geted areas, such as: (1) helping to fund new transmission lines; (2) funding the extra cost of “smart grid” enhancements; and (3) facilitating distributed solar generation and community ownership. Rhone Resch also stressed the benefits of feed-in tariffs in providing a

low-cost implementation option for utility compliance with RPS laws because of the utility’s ability to receive funding through its rate base. Julia Hamm provided important lessons learned based on her experience working with the utility industry on solar energy issues, and she stressed the need for education of the electric utility industry as a key

component of advancing feed-in tariffs and other solar policy initiatives. She highlighted the example of the aggressive effort to advance feed-in tariffs by the municipal utility in Gainesville, Florida, following an educational trip to Germany organized by the Solar Electric Industries Association. Mr. Rickerson also emphasized a significant potential

challenge that might impede the adoption of feed-in tariffs. In a recent proceeding undertaken by the California Public Utility Commission (CA PUC), Southern California Edison asserted that the CA PUC lacks legal authority to pursue feed-in tariffs because wholesale price-setting authority has been vested in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the CA PUC is preempted from asserting such authority.

This legal issue required further analysis, and GW Law School’s energy and environmental law faculty, including the first General Counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, have already begun this important work and have identified some important policy options. A second major challenge outlined at the kickoff symposium was the need for substantial

expansion of the interstate high-voltage transmission grid. Commissioner Wellinghoff emphasized that existing high-level transmission lines were concentrated on the East and West Coast. As a result, he explained that such transmission lines needed substantial

expansion to link the strong solar resource base of the Southwest U.S. to high population centers outside that region. Wellinghoff highlighted the reforms undertaken by FERC in the transmission arena, and he described the legislative and regulatory changes that are necessary to spur a substantial expansion in high-voltage interstate transmission, including improved transmission planning, siting, and cost allocation.

Several symposium speakers discussed the need for creative financing to help overcome the high upfront capital costs of solar energy. Ted Turner underscored the importance of financing issues, and Commissioner Wellinghoff emphasized the need for innovation in this area. He noted his expectation that there would be a time “in the not too distant future” when it will be

cheaper to roll the cost of solar into one’s mortgage than to pay for electric service from conventional energy sources. Another challenge noted by the speakers was the current cost premium for solar energy compared to traditional electricity sources in most parts of the country. However, Richard Perez presented slides highlighting

that many benefits of solar energy are not monetized in cost models. These benefits include environmental health benefits, carbon reduction benefits, fuel price hedge protection, the reduced potential for blackouts on high electric demand days, transmission line loss savings, transmission and distribution deferral values, and other factors. Moreover, Stephen O’Rourke projected

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substantial progress in achieving cost reductions in various solar technologies in the next four to six years. Finally, the variability of solar energy was cited as another challenge. The Institute’s Director underscored

the results of a recent study of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation that described the ability of the electric grid to handle the intermittent nature of renewable resources. In addition, Richard Perez highlighted improved forecasting tools that can enhance predictability of the solar resource in the face of intermittency. He also explained how greater system stability can be achieved when many solar plants are

distributed throughout a region.

EDUCATING STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THE NEWS MEDIA AND PRESENTATIONS Public education is a key element to achieving the market transformation needed for solar energy development, and therefore, the accomplishment of the

Institute’s mission depends to some extent on our presence in the news media. During this past year, we achieved significant success in our public outreach efforts. The following news media reported on the GW Solar Institute: • Associated Press • ABC Online

• Reuters • Chicago Tribune • Minnesota Public Radio • Bloomberg.com • The MIT Technology Review • Nature • Renewable Energy World

• Giornale de Sicilia • Legambiente Magazine • IDF Radio • The Jerusalem Post • GW’s Planet Forward with Frank Sesno, which was

aired nationwide by PBS. In recent months, many reporters have begun to seek the

Institute’s advice and perspective on technical questions before publishing news stories on solar energy. For example, the Director was featured in the September 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine, and he provided his view on the importance of federal investment in solar energy technology. In 2008 and 2009, we also delivered presentations on

solar energy issues before numerous groups, ranging from leading solar organizations to technical associations. For example, the Institute’s Director provided presentations at the national conferences of two of the leading solar energy organizations – the Solar Energy Industries Association and the American Solar Energy Society. In addition, as noted above, the Institute’s Director

presented a paper on the status of thin film PV manufacturing to the IEEE PV Specialist’s Conference on June 8, 2009 – a meeting of the world’s leading PV professionals. The IEEE meeting was especially valuable because it provided the Institute with a means of updating key PV technology experts about the global

status of thin film PV. We also were able to introduce a senior Congressional staff member focusing on solar energy (a fellow of The American Association for the Advancement of Science) to the PV community, and the technology experts benefited from this interaction.

During the past year, the Director also presented at meetings of the National Geographic Society, the World Bank, the University of Palermo, Lux Research, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest. All of these events had attending media. In addition, during the Solar Institute’s first year, we

participated in various worldwide solar forums and shared our knowledge, thereby positioning the GW Solar Institute for global recognition. The U.S. Embassy in Rome invited the Institute’s Director to present there and in Palermo, Sicily, as part of an information exchange sponsored by the State Department. The Director met with the Sicilian Regional Councilor of Industry, Dr. Pippo Gianni, a cabinet-level official.

In Israel, the Institute’s Director was invited to present at The Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy International Conference as a plenary speaker, and he also visited the Weizmann Institute and Brightsource Energy’s 5 MW power tower prototype in the Negev Desert. At the conference, he met with Hezi Kugler, the cabinet-level Director General of Israel's Ministry of National

Infrastructures, and he participated in a meeting of city officials from Eilat, who discussed a strategy to make their city a “solar city.” Arnold Goldman, Chairman and Founder of Brightsource Energy, met with the Director in the Negev, and this meeting resulted in an ongoing collaboration with Brightsource and a contact of value to GW researchers.

In addition, the Norwegian Academy of Sciences invited the Director to speak on solar energy at a climate change conference otherwise dominated by carbon sequestration, and in September 2009, the Swiss Embassy in Washington included the Institute Director in a public

forum that also featured well-known New York Times energy reporter, Matt Wald, as moderator.

ENGAGING THE PUBLIC THROUGH

THE WORLD WIDE WEB

One of the major avenues of communication established

during the past year was a comprehensive website (http://solar.gwu.edu) to highlight the mission and activities of the Institute and to serve as a clearinghouse for information on solar and renewable energy. The home page emphasizes that the Solar Institute seeks to

integrate its roles in research and policy analysis. It also contains news feeds that provide readers with general solar energy news as well as updates on activities of the GW Solar Institute. The research section of the website provides updates on the work of the Institute’s Project Investigators, and the resources section features an extensive library of

presentations, reports, analyses, and videos, as well as a “Frequently Asked Questions” page about common solar energy topics. In addition, the website contains videos and slides from all the major presentations at the April 24, 2009 kickoff symposium.

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The value of the Solar Institute’s website has been recognized with a steady climb in usage. The site now receives about 2,000 hits per month from more than 30 countries. The site is the first contact with the GW Solar Institute for many of our stakeholders, and it is continu-

ally updated and improved. We also are expanding our public education efforts with accounts on both Facebook and Twitter. Through these social media outlets, we can update stakeholders about the latest news outputs from the Solar Institute. Facebook and Twitter will continue to grow as a means of communication as we generate more content on our

new blogs -- The Solar Review and Solar Analysis. We recently created The Solar Review as a means for the Institute to provide expert insight on the latest solar news.5 The development of this blog was spurred by concern about gaps in coverage of solar issues by the news media. Journalists tend to focus on solar developments that are brought to their attention, but

more important solar-related developments often go unnoticed. Commentary from The Solar Review is expected to reach key audiences as it is cited and re-posted around the blogosphere. In a similar vein, we recently created the Solar Analysis blog to serve as an outlet for the growing group of alumni and graduate students who are passionate about

the Solar Institute and its mission. We are working with these interested groups to develop regular coverage of solar policy and solar industry developments.

The Internet has become a principal means of communication across all levels of industry, government, and academia. By increasing our presence on the World Wide Web, the Institute intends to become an important resource for solar experts and policymakers.

BLOGGING WITH THE SOLAR INSTITUTE Every day, numerous things come across my desk from

the Internet or elsewhere purporting to be truths about

solar. Yet many have serious errors or misstatements or

are too narrowly focused to tell the whole story. Some

have wonderful insights that deserve more attention.

The Solar Review will respond to both – challenging

some authors to change their views or be more precise;

praising others and building on their insights.

Even good news is greeted with a yawn these days,

because there is so much hype in the system. How many

people are sophisticated enough in solar technology to

tell the wheat from the chaff? Can they distinguish

between claims for hypothetical future achievements and

achievements already made? Do they know that scaling

up a solar cell to a solar product is a 10 billion-fold

challenge in making large area, near-perfect

semiconductors? And that this can take over a decade of

huge investment? Apparently most of the venture

capitalists who put money into PV startups in the last ten

years didn’t know this!

This may be the solar century, where solar makes not

only a tangible, but even a majority contribution to our

energy supply. We deserve a forum for understanding

what matters. That is the purpose of the Solar Review. —Post on the Solar Institute blog: http://thesolarreview.org


Moving Forward

During the upcoming year, we plan to build on the initial work of the Institute, including our symposium, research work, and outreach activities. In addition, we will be carefully tracking technical and policy developments, particularly the work of the DOE's Solar Vision and the

National Academies on approaches for accelerating deployment of solar energy. In addition, as we refine our own priorities during the coming year, our work plan will be influenced by legislative developments affecting solar energy at the international, Federal and State levels, particularly energy and climate legislation. In developing our priorities, we are faced with a broad

array of challenges to the rapid commercialization of solar energy. We are reviewing a wide range of potential focus areas for the coming year. A key step in our review process is the planned input and advice of our Advisory Board. Following our Board meeting, we will finalize our plans for the next fiscal year. Among the issue areas we are considering are the following:

• Economic Analysis • PV Module and System Reliability • System Integration with Power Grid • Siting of Solar Facilities and Transmission • Technology Analysis • Utility and Other Policy Analysis • Relative Benefits of Solar

• Federal Role in Solar Funding and Incentives • Creative Financing • Methodology and Modeling We believe that we can strengthen our policy impact by

pursuing several new opportunities. For example, we expect to: (1) present the results of our research work and engage in policy discussions with the staff and Members of additional Congressional Committees, including the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; (2) engage in educational efforts on solar energy issues with additional organizations based

in Washington, D.C., such as the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, the Edison Electric Institute, and the National Governors Association. In addition, we intend to increase our engagement with the GW and Metro Washington communities through seminars, guest speakers, and other mechanisms. We also plan to expand our educational materials and

outreach and plan to work to increase and diversify our funding sources, through the submission of applications to the U.S. Department of Energy and other agencies and organizations. Finally, the work of our second year will involve a strong focus on following up on projects initiated during year one.

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We are mindful that the development of a first-rank Solar Institute is a considerable challenge that takes time and commitment. We believe that we have made significant progress in our first year, and we foresee continuous improvement during the next several years.

How will we know when we have succeeded? When our researchers consistently develop important new insights that contribute to the development of effective solar policies; when we have identified solutions to important technical challenges to the large-scale use of solar energy; when our students are trained for professional contribu-tions in the solar community; and when our outreach work educates a large audience of individuals and

organizations so that we become a trusted source for solar energy research and analysis. We hope you will join us in this important effort.

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APPENDIX I: GOVERNANCE Director — After a successful first year, Professor Ken Zweibel continues to lead the Institute as its Director. His three

decades of experience in solar energy have proven essential in the development of the Institute. He led the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s successful Thin Film PV Partnership; was co-founder, and first president and chairman of the board of PrimeStar Solar; has written two books on PV; and co-authored the notable “A Solar Grand Plan” published in Scientific American (2008). As Director, Ken will continue to oversee all funded research and will work to expand the Institute’s network with the Department of Energy, The National Academies, and Members and staff of the United States Congress.

Co-Director — To strengthen the Institute’s leadership role on legal and policy issues related to

solar energy, the Columbian School of Arts and Sciences appointed Debra Jacobson as Research Professor of Energy and Co-Director of the Solar Institute in September 2009. Debra earned a

B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Rochester and a Juris Doctor with honors from The George Washington University Law School. She has worked on issues involving energy and environmental law and policy for more than 30 years. Her knowledge and experience will enhance the Solar Institute’s ability to accomplish its policy mission.

Executive Coordinator — Alexander Winn has been an integral part of the Solar Institute

since its launch one year ago. He has taken the lead in coordinating many important projects, including the Kickoff Symposium, Institute communications and most notably, the Institute’s website. Alex earned his B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University and has begun the Masters in Public Administration Program at GW’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. Advisory Board — To assure strong guidance regarding the Institute’s priorities and direction, we have recruited exceptional leaders to participate on our Advisory Board. The members of the Board are as follows:

• Ted Turner, Chairman, Turner Enterprises, Inc.;

• John Gaffney, Executive Vice President, First Solar, Inc.;

• Charles (Chuck) Wessner, Director, Program on Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, National Academies of Sciences;

• Richard Perez, Senior Research Associate, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York (SUNY), Albany;

• Fred Lawrence, Dean, The George Washington University Law School;

• Jerry Bloom, Partner, Chair, Energy Practice, Winston & Strawn LLP;

• Robin Crawford, Senior Vice President, Ruder Finn, Inc.

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Scientific Directors — The Institute also has benefited from the advice of its two scientific directors selected from among the GW faculty: • Denis F. Cioffi, GW School of Business, Associate Professor of Decision Sciences; and • Randall K. Packer, GW Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Associate Dean for Special Projects & Professor

of Biology.

APPENDIX II: RESEARCH NETWORK GW Solar Institute Researchers — We thank our colleagues who have joined us in this effort. The contributions of the GW community will continue to lift the GW Solar Institute to higher levels. Faculty:

• Denis F. Cioffi , Project Investigator, School of Business, Decision Sciences

• Joseph Cordes, Project Investigator, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration

• Jonathon Deason , Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Engineering Management

• David Freestone (Visiting), Co-Project Investigator, GW Law School, Environmental Law

• David Grinlinton (Visiting), Co-Project Investigator, GW Law School, Environmental Law

• Robert Harrington , Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Lance Hoffman, Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Computer Science

• William Jackson (Former Faculty), Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Fred Joutz , Project Investigator, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Economics

• Homayoun Khamooshi, Project Investigator, School of Business, Decision Sciences

• Stuart Licht, Project Investigator, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry

• Arun Malik , Project Investigator, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Economics

• Lee Paddock, Project Investigator, GW Law School, Environmental Law

• Andrea Sarzynski, Project Investigator, GW Institute of Public Policy

• John Sibert, Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Computer Science

• Robert Trost, Project Investigator, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Economics

• Garry Young, Project Investigator, GW Institute of Public Policy Graduate Students: • Hina Ayub, Research Assistant, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry

• Steven Burns, Co-Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Engineering Management

• Ariel Castillo, Co-Project Investigator, School of Engineering, Engineering Management

32


• Geoffrey Heaven , Research Assistant, GW Law School, Environmental Law

• Mark Hutson, Research Assistant, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Economics

• Rounak Muthiyan, Research Assistant, School of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Scott Nuzum, Research Assistant, GW Law School, Environmental Law

• Tyler Ruthven, Research Assistant, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, Public Policy • Rima Wandhekar, Research Assistant, School of Engineering, Computer Science Undergraduate Students: • Harry Bergman, Research Assistant, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry

• Barnett Koven, Research Assistant, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Economics

Affiliates of the GW Solar Institute: • Mark Starik, Professor, Chair, GW School of Business, Strategic Management and Public Policy

• Stephen Pothier, Research Scientist, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry

• Michael Duffey, Associate Professor of Engineering Management, School of Engineering, Engineering Management and Systems Engineering

• Stephen Hsu, Professor of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Engineering

ENDNOTES: 1. U.S. Department of Energy, 20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy’s Contribution to U.S. Electricity

Supply: Government Printing Office, 2008. http://solar.gwu.edu/index_files/Resources_files/20percent_wind_energy_report_05-11-08.pdf

2. The agenda and presentations from the three meetings are available at: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/step/ 3. Testimony available at: http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2542 or

http://solar.gwu.edu 4. Zweibel, Mason, Fthenakis, A Solar Grand Plan, Scientific American, January 2008.

See: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-solar-grand-plan 5. See http://the_solar_review.org

THE GW SOLAR INSTITUTE : : THE COLUMBIAN COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES : :

THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY :: 801 22ND STREET, NORTHWEST :: ROME HALL 450 :: W A S H I N G T O N , D C 2 0 0 5 2 : : 2 0 2 - 9 9 4 - 1 9 6 5 : : H T T P : / / S O L A R . G W U . E D U

GW Solar Institute Annual Report 2009

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Transcript of GW Solar Institute Annual Report 2009