Evolution Solar has entered into the bidding process to deliver the first 34 kilowatts of solar energy for a North American municipal transit authority. Over ten such energy projects are scheduled from the transit authority.
"The United States currently generates less than 0.1% of its electricity through solar energy," Mr. Kaapke explained.
"However, a new study by Clean Edge and Co-op America shows that the US could be 10% solar by 2025."
The Energy Information Administration predicts world energy demand will grow 50% by the year 2030.
Thin-film production accounts for just 11 percent of worldwide production, but it plays a much more important part of the US PV industry – roughly 30 percent. The US has about half of global thin-film capacity, which is fast approaching cost parity with other forms of energy.
Almost all major PV manufacturers continue to expand production. First Solar's expansion in Malaysia will help push its annual capacity to 1 gigawatt by the end of 2009. SunPower of California has added more than 625-megawatt capacity at its Philippines facility, while Applied Materials has moved aggressively into the sector in the past few years. Germany's SolarWorld is aiming to reach 500-megawatt production by 2010.
