Call for Speaker Interest

The Solar Power 2008 Planning Committee has identified sessions in five tracks for this year's conference: markets, policy, technology, finance, and cross-cutting. The general topics are final, but the titles and descriptions are in draft form. Experts who can contribute substantive content to the specific topics listed may submit themselves for consideration as speakers using the link provided.


At the end of the list of concurrent session is information about submitting candidates to participate in the CEO Panel.

Submissions for both concurrent sessions and the CEO Panel are due by Friday, May 9.

 

Concurrent Sessions

 

Markets Track

 

1.    Operations Best Practices and Process Improvements for Residential Solar Installers

Session will cover integrated systems, faster field installation trends / lessons

learned, total cost of an installed system, areas for industry focus, cost estimating, warranties, data monitoring, integration of energy efficiency, etc.

2.    Utility-Scale Market Expansion: Paving the Road to Success

Session will speak largely from the seller perspective and cover recently completed projects and their lessons learned, what’s on the horizon, potential road bumps / pot holes and how to avoid them (including transmission issues).

3.    Solar for Production Home Builders: The Differentiation Factor  

Session will talk about actual results with quantifiable data from solar communities and discuss how the downturn in the housing market has impacted builders’ and buyers’ perceptions and interest in solar homes.

4.    Public & Private Sector Commercial Projects: Defining Wants and Needs

Session will feature speakers who represent various customer segments (for example agricultural, federal government, high technology, manufacturing, retail, state/local government, schools).  Session will cover why companies in each of these categories go solar and the trends within their segment and how they impact decisions related to energy management.

5.    Utility Business Models: An Approaching Paradigm Shift

Session will be from the buyer (utility) perspective and will cover the drivers that are causing utilities to embrace solar more than ever before (climate change, RPS, customer satisfaction, risk mitigation, etc), the business tactics they have used so far with preliminary results, and plans for the future.  Participants will be senior executives from utilities and the discussion will focus on high level strategic issues.

6.    Off-Grid But On-Point: The Continued Importance of the Off-Grid Market

 

Session will be from the customer perspective with speakers from various market

segments (telecommunications, village power, military, etc). Session will include a discussion about batteries and inverters, with some application to the developing world.

7.    A Growing Worldwide Market: Solar Thermal Heating and Cooling

 

Session will include discussion of hybrid systems and cover both electric and

gas displacement.

8.    Educating Customers

Session will include innovative things installers are doing to market directly to customers, the different barriers for each customer type, and case studies from other industries or countries (for example the water awareness campaign in California)

9.    REC Markets: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Session will include discussion about where the market is going, how to do the valuation, and the ethics of dealing with RECs (best practices, FTC guidelines).

Policy Track

1.    Update from Capitol Hill: The Federal Solar Policy Landscape

Session will include discussion about RES, solar policy bills, ITC extension, global warming legislation, etc.

2.    Great Incentive Debate

Session will be in a debate format, discussing feed-in tariffs, solar RECs /

RPS carve outs, bonds, tax credits, and rebates. Participants will include debaters from both the US states and other countries.

3.    California Solar Electric and Solar Hot Water Initiatives

Session will include a review, update and forecast of California solar activities, including but not limited to those pertaining to solar electric, solar hot water, and affordable housing.

4.    Solar Stories from Abroad

Session will include speakers from outside the US talking about how they influenced their government to shape policy that grew the solar market and whether their policies have been affective in creating a sustainable market.

5.    Accelerating Solar on a Local Level

 

Session will cover the what, why, and how of various solar initiatives at the

city/county level.

6.    Economic Development & Jobs Creation: How Does Solar Measure Up?

Session will cover if and how solar can be used as an engine for growth by

federal, state, and local governments related to both white and green collar jobs.

7.    Technology and Regulation: How to do it Right

Session will cover issues like smart meters, time-of-use rates, decoupling, and RECS as a carbon currency and how to structure and implement in a way that benefits rather than hurts solar market development.

8.    State Policy

Session will feature representatives from a number of states beyond California discussing lessons learned and recent successes (including the integration of solar into global warming legislation).

9.    The Candidates’ Solar & Clean Energy Platforms

Session will include discussion between the energy advisors for presidential and

Senatorial candidates. 

Technology

 

1.    Innovative Whole Building Design

 

Session will cover innovative whole building design, including energy efficiency

and solar lighting, thermal management, design, and electricity, to find out how these separate components can be elegantly and seamlessly integrated into both residential and commercial new construction and retrofits. 

2.    Optimizing for PV System Function and Performance

Session will include presentations on specific solar performance and optimization

trade-offs and strategies in rate structures and system design (tilt, tracking, density, components), as well as performance monitoring devices and innovations, such as value-added inverter enhancements (utility grade accuracy and single box solutions for communication, load, storage, energy management, etc).

3. State-of-the-Art CSP

Session will focus on specific CSP efficiency or performance enhancements, such as storage, direct steam, higher temperatures, or operational strategies, that will be seen in the coming wave of CSP projects in the US and abroad. 

4.    State-of-the-Art CPV

 

Session will focus on low and high concentration CPV technology strategies and

issues, including low-cost vs. high cost concentrating options, performance milestones of new projects, voltage upgrade challenges, or the development of new standards and certifications specifically for CPV.

5.    Solar Thermal Management – Not Just for Heating Water

Session will go beyond traditional solar hot water to focus on emerging solar thermal opportunities such as hybrid designs (PV, SHW, air), solar cooling, innovative uses of high temperature CSP for thermal needs rather than electrical, and low and high temperature hot and cold storage.

 

6.    The Great Thin Film Debate

 

Session will feature short presentations by thin film manufacturers, followed by a strongly moderated session that asks pointed questions related to efficiency and cost claims, longevity and warranties, and other thin-film specific issues.  

7.    The Great Crystalline Silicon Debate

 

Session will feature short presentations by silicon manufacturers, followed by a

strongly moderated session that asks how the silicon shortage has driven downstream technology changes in wafer thickness, efficiency, emerging hybrid designs, and other innovations.

8.    The Great Inverter Debate

Session will feature short presentations by inverter manufacturers, followed by a

strongly moderated session that asks pointed questions related to the module vs. central inverter debate, warranties and component field services, expanding inverter funcationality, performance ratings, and other inverter specific issues.

9.    Long-Term Industry Technology Issues

Session will address long-term PV technology issues, such as maintenance of existing systems, module design and module recycling, and optimizing design and component criteria for long installation life.

Finance

1.   Think Big - Financing Utility-Scale Solar Projects

 

Session will cover the financing of utility-scale solar projects from traditional bank / professional investor financing (highlighting the newly-built Solar Nevada One) to discussion of utility-owned solar vs commercially-owned solar, as well as municipal financing.  Special focus on alternative financing methods, such as community ownership of solar projects.

 

2. Billions in Investment – Now What?

 

Session will take a broad look at the effects of billions of dollars of investment into solar startups and publically traded solar companies since 2005, from VC, private investment, hedge funds and other sources. The session will explore how this recent cash infusion will manifest itself in the marketplace – with cost competitive solar and rewarded investors or broken hearts and a flight of capital away from solar investments.

 

3. Just Good Business - Financing Commercial-Scale Solar

 

Session will cover the entire landscape of financing options for commercial-scale solar projects on both public and private buildings, including but not limited to PPAs, leases, and utility-owned projects.  Session attendees will hear about both current financing methods and what’s coming soon.

 

4.  The Sunny Side of the Residential Street – Financing Residential-Scale Solar

 

Session will explore the myriad methods of financing residential solar, including leasing, rolling the cost of a system into a mortgage, and the elusive residential PPA.

 

5.  The International Language: Money

 

Session will cover the ebb and flow of capital in the larger solar world, with U.S. money financing solar projects abroad and foreign companies coming to do business in the U.S.  Discussion topics will include the impact of the exchange rate, issues with partnering with foreign companies, and companies chasing favorable incentives while trying to predict the next hot market.  Panel will include U.S. solar companies that operate abroad, financial companies invested in solar projects both here and abroad, and companies from foreign solar powerhouses that have already come and established themselves or are actively looking to partner with companies to work in the U.S.

 

6. How Broader Financial & Commodity Markets Affect the Solar Market

 

Session will cover the ways to mitigate the negative impacts of drivers like credit spreads, energy costs (oil, gas, natural gas), and raw materials costs beyond silicon (copper, glass, steel, aluminum, etc.)  

 

7.  How to Monetize Solar Revenue Streams

 

Session will explore the monetization of both electrical and non-electrical revenue streams to maximize solar’s ROI, covering REC markets (Compliance vs Voluntary  /  how to sell RECs / challenges for small and big system owners), Carbon Credits (where is this market heading), and Tax Credits (how large PPAs use these to boost system ROI).  Attention will be given to what these financial instruments are, how they are monetized, and where the markets and policy environments are heading for each.

 

8.  Solar and Real Estate Values 

 

Session will examine how solar properties are faring in the current real estate market.  Discussion will cover how solar affects appraisal values and real estate prices across the country (residential & commercial), how solar homes (PV, SWH, Zero Energy Homes) are distinguishing themselves in the residential market, and how the 5-yr ownership requirement on the current ITC affects solar’s incursion into new home construction.  Special focus on what an extended recession and housing slump could mean for solar.  

 

9. Scared of the Sun Going Down: How to Mitigate the Risk of Policy Uncertainty

Session will explore the financial costs of uncertainty in the policy realm and what assurances the financial community needs to continue investment in the solar industry.  Discussion will cover the ITC extension rollercoaster and its effects, as well as examples from the recent change in New Jersey state policy, California’s long-term commitments, and examples from abroad. 

 

Cross Cutting

 

1.    Ratings vs Performance

 

Session will discuss if and how the industry can come to a common understand

on performance and avoid efficiency and capacity games and whether the lack of standard measurements hurt the industry.

2.    Vertical vs Virtual Integration Debate

Session will offer a debate between companies taking different integration

approaches to lower costs.  Some are bringing all parts of the value chain in-house creating vertical integration while others are creating virtual integration with the development of strong partnerships with other companies. 

3.    Workforce Development:  What is Needed and Who is Providing It

Session will feature lessons from other industries that have experienced rapid

growth, an assessment of the workforce development needs of the solar industry, and a review of what is currently available and underdevelopment.

4.    The Future of the Solar Industry: A Look Into Analysts’ Crystal Ball

Session will feature short presentations by industry analysts regarding their

predictions for the future of the solar industry followed by questions from the audience.

5.    Impacts of High Solar Penetration

Session will discuss the potential impacts of high solar penetration on things like the utility grid, utility business models, production costs, and forecasting.  Will cover both system and distribution levels, as well as impacts on other generation operations.

6.    A Friction Free Solar Market: How to Get There and What it Offers

Session will discuss best practices and lessons learned from various countries,

states, and municipalities regarding efforts to reduce administrative paperwork, processes, procedures, and fees that serve to drive up the installed cost of solar electric systems. Will cover all market segments.

7.    Affordable Housing

Session will discuss the why and how of including affordable housing in various

solar incentive programs.  Case studies and best practices will be featured.   

8.    Innovative Utility Programs

Session will discuss how utilities have moved into a new phase of solar activity

beyond only offering green pricing, demonstration projects, customer education, and incentive programs.  New utility activities that provide value-added benefits to enhance the solar industry and/or make solar more accessible customers, including utility ownership, incentives, and customer facilitation will be discussed. 

9. Integrating Solar and Energy Efficiency

Session will cover how solar fits into an energy efficiency strategy and vice versa both for new construction and the retrofit market. 

Concurrent Session Submission Information

Speakers can be submitted through Friday, May 9 by clicking here.

CEO Panel

Similar to last year, the Wednesday morning plenary will be a moderated CEO Panel.  This year, we are opening the panel to CEO's from companies that manufacture solar technology, install and/or develop solar projects, and purchase large quantities of solar equipment (for example utilities and big box stores).  Companies that meet the following criteria may submit their CEO for consideration:

  • Company is a sponsor of Solar Power 2008
  • Company is a member of SEPA and/or SEIA
  • Company is a major player in their segment of the market
  • Company will have new and exciting announcements to share with the Solar Power audience
  • CEO is articulate and well received by audiences
  • CEO is visionary
  • CEO has perceptions, opinions, and insights of interest to the broad Solar Power audience

 If your company and CEO meet these requirements, the following information must be submitted using the link provided below:

  • 300 words maximum describing why your company's position in the marketplace warrants a spot on the CEO Panel
  • 300 words maximum describing what makes your CEO an individual that our audience will want to listen to
  • A web link to video footage of your CEO speaking or participating in a panel discussion

Note that if your CEO is selected, substitutions will not be allowed.  If a schedule conflict prevents your CEO from participating, another company may be offered the position on the panel.

CEO Panel Submission Information 

Speakers can be submitted through Friday, May 9 by clicking here.