Solar Power International 2008 Preview

Solar Power 2008 claims International status but Solar Power North America 2008 is more accurate.
Free Public Night is Wednesday evening, October 15, 2008, from 5:30 - 8:30PM in the Expo Halls.

Solar Power 2008 Conference and Expo Solar Power International 2008 powers up in San Diego, California USA, from Monday, October 13, 2008, to Thursday, October 16, 2008, at the San Diego Convention Center. The Monday, October 13, 2008, Opening Reception networks from 7:00 to 9:00PM (19:00 – 21:00) overlooking the Bay on the San Diego Convention Center terrace.

This year, event organizers, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), expect over 15,000 attendees for 60 breakout sessions featuring 200 Speakers and about 425 Exhibitors spread out across the 174,000+ square foot (1.62 Hectare) Expo floor.

Per the Solar Power International 2008 website:

Full Conference Registrations are now Sold Out. A limited number of One Day passes may be available on-site. Expo Only Passes, Workshop Registrations, and Reception Tickets are still available.

Go here for Video Coverage if you cannot attend or wish to review sessions after the event.

Here is the Conference lite Schedule-at-a-Glance and the steroidal seventeen (17) page Detailed Agenda. Most Conference sessions are located on the Upper level of the venue while the Expo is on the Ground level in Halls F, G, and H. Paid Workshops and Commercial Solar Tours on Monday and Friday border the main Conference program.

For the Expo, this single page map shows the entire Expo floor plan albeit with small, hard to read company name text. I noticed GreenVolts has a rather large 40 x 20 foot (74.3 square meters) Stand #539. I suspect GreenVolts will display a complete (or partial) CarouSol unit, a public first. The Expo is open Tuesday through Thursday with Show Hours from 10:00AM to 6:00PM (18:00) daily extended to 8:30PM (20:30) on Wednesday, October 15, 2008, for Public Night.

Public Night is Wednesday evening from 5:30 - 8:30PM at the Expo Halls and:

No registration is necessary! Just show up and come on in!

Given the increasing popularity of Public Night, I suggest arriving early. In addition, the following free Workshops will be offered during Public Night:

6:00 to 7:00PM Solar Photovoltaics (PV) For Home Owners
7:00 to 8:00PM Solar Water Heating for Home Owners
6:30 to 8:00PM Find Your Solar Dream Job

This year, Public Night is an integral part of the San Diego 4th Annual Solar Energy Week organized by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) beginning with the Family Solar Energy Day on Sunday, October 12, 2008, at Spanish Landing Park from 1:00 to 4:00PM.

I already have a few better offers than the Gaslamp Quarter Solar Power Block Party Tuesday evening, October 14, 2008, from 7:00 to 10:00pm (19:00 – 22:00) but it could be visit worthy.

And this week’s Dilbert comic strips from Thursday and Friday hit the mark regarding venture capital overinvestment in solar and companies like Qimonda jumping into the Photovoltaic Industry.

Solar Investment Tax Credits ride the $700 Billion Bailout Wake

The Bailout comes to the Financial Rescue of Solar.
ITC (Investment Tax Credit) Myopia succeeds, but someone tell the solar stocks!

With all the focus on the Bailout, I must admit thinking the Renewable Energy ITC extensions would have to wait until next year. After the U.S. Senate passed a revised bill laden with tax extensions and other unrelated legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Rescue Sweetened With Tax Incentives” (by Cecilia Kang of the Washington Post).

Per “Federal Solar Tax Credits Extended for 8 Years, US Poised to Become Largest Solar Market in the World” from the SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association), the solar investment tax credit (ITC) provisions will:

• Extend for 8 years the 30-percent tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations;
• Eliminate the $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations, creating a true 30-percent tax credit (effective for property placed in service after December 31, 2008);
• Eliminate the prohibition on utilities from benefiting from the credit;
• Allow Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) filers, both businesses and individuals, to take the credit;
• Authorize $800 million for clean energy bonds for renewable energy generating facilities, including solar.

Or review the 451 page H.R. 1424 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 for yourself; DIVISION B—ENERGY IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION ACT OF 2008 volumes across pages 113 to 261.

While the elimination of the $2000 cap on residential photovoltaic installations is a fantastic boost for distributed generation, wealthier families with higher annual electricity consumption will be the first to benefit. As a solar integrator pointed out to me today, the residential market will be frozen in the United States until the residential Solar ITC becomes effective January 1, 2009.

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) was also quick on the press release with the “SEPA Statement on Historic 8-Year Solar Tax Credit Extension”. Hailing “the removal of a prohibition that previously prevented electric utilities from taking advantage of the credit”, this significant change to the Solar ITC has received little scrutiny. Are monopolistic Electric Utilities poised to become change agents to stave off global warming by investing in large scale renewable energy, solar, and photovoltaic power plants? Will they play fair with independent renewable energy power producers connecting to their grids? Why were no concessions sought from Utilities? How about Utilities agreeing to new photovoltaic residential metering rules that pay for excess electricity generation (please see AB 1920: California bill goes beyond Net Metering) in exchange for receiving the benefit of the ITC?

I am hoping the passage of the Solar ITC will place a natural limit on discussions about ITC politics at Solar Power International 2008 next week in San Diego, California USA. Wishful thinking? As last year, I believe the US and worldwide economy should be the prime topic of conversation. The credit crunch may slow down utility renewable energy investments and have already impacted production expansions in the photovoltaic industry. On the residential front, will families invest in solar electric power even when they have opted not to purchase new cars?

Last year at Solar Power 2007, I wrote about the R-Word (Solar Power 2007: Discussion Panels Aplenty – Part 3). Will the D-Word dominate discussions this year trumping the new ITC? And now that oil has corrected, the Recession Risk and Solar Stocks, Oil, and Gold portions of my Photovoltaics: 2007 Post Review and 2008 Trends to Watch – Part 2 post are panning out.

Solar Power 2007 Preview

Long Beach hosts America's largest Solar Energy event next week

The Solar Power 2007 Conference and Expo kicks off next week in Long Beach, California, from September 24 to 27, 2007, at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, a Solar Powered Venue. Created in 2004 via a partnership between the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), this year’s business to business Solar Power Conference and Expo features over 200 exhibitors, 125 speakers, and expects a record 10,000 attendees.

While there are Training and Workshops over the weekend, Solar Power 2007 activities begin to ramp Monday morning, September 24, 2007, with more workshops and a sold out Local Solar Installations Tour followed by the Opening Reception. The Conference and Expo run from Tuesday through Thursday afternoon. The Opening Plenary Session features keynotes delivered by Ted Turner, Turner Enterprises, and Ray Lane, Managing Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Here are the one page Solar Power 2007 Schedule-at-a-Glance and the complete Detailed Agenda.

This year’s Agenda indulges the Solar side with two sessions on Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and a session on Solar Hot Water Technology, but there are plenty of Solar Electric or Photovoltaic sessions. Vinod Khosla is not a scheduled speaker at this year’s event though he must be pleased with the CSP exposure.

Where in the world is Jesse Pichel you may ask? Jesse Pichel, Sr. Research Analyst, PiperJaffray, will present as part of the panel in the Investing in Solar Stocks: What You Need to Know session on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, from 2:00PM - 3:30PM in Room 202 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

Here is the Expo Exhibitor List and the Expo Hall floor plans:

Long Beach Convention Center Hall B
Hyatt Regency Beacon and Regency Ballrooms

but the Expo is not as daunting at this event – yet.

The Expo Halls are open to the public for free Tuesday evening, September 25, 2007, from 5:30PM to 8:30PM without preregistration, and three free seminars will be also held for the public:

Solar Electricity 101
How to Find a Qualified Solar Installer
How to Find Your Dream Job in Solar

A list of the participating companies is also available for review.

Interested in attending? You can still register by Sunday, September 23, 2007, and save $100 on your conference registration (see Registration Information).

If you cannot attend, a webcast of keynote speeches and interviews from the show floor of Solar Power 2007 is available courtesy of sponsor Fat Spaniel Technologies Inc. Last year’s Solar Power 2006 keynote speakers and industry interviews can still be viewed in this Webcast Archive.

I’ll see you at V2O - The Ten Million Dollar Nightclub (81 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA USA) for the Opening Reception on Monday, September 24, 2007, from 7:00PM to 9:00PM. Let’s do some serious Solar Power networking.