PV Insider has released a new guide giving a detailed overview of the future opportunities for Utility-Scale PV in the USA.

"Utility-Scale PV in the USA: A path to maturity" contains the exclusive results of an industry-wide survey on where and how the nation's leading developers and EPC groups will be overcoming the technical and regulatory challenges to develop solar without subsidies.

2012 was a landmark year for solar with the highest numbers of utility-scale PV ever installed in the country. However, as key states such as California and Arizona come closer to announcing the fulfilment of the Renewable Portfolio Standard, flexible thinking geographically and achieving a low levelized cost of electricity is of paramount importance to guarantee further development of Utility-Scale PV outside current subsidy programmes. To take advantage of these opportunities, the costs of development, as well as on-going operations and maintenance, need to be further reduced. Furthermore, with the advent of smart grids and an increased emphasis on energy storage, ancillary technologies and services need to be developed to improve grid integration and reduce intermittency which will become crucial to project viability.
With over 250 participants the survey sheds light on the leading industry approaches on these questions:

Which states present the biggest opportunities for utility-scale PV in the USA and why?

How can developers overcome the current bureaucratic and technical challenges in interconnection?

What areas of the PV plant should the industry focus on to lower cost and improve performance?

The answers to these questions are key helping developers, EPCs and suppliers be more competitive and plan their commercial strategy. The guide also includes an exclusive article outlining the current technical and bureaucratic challenges for Utility-Scale PV in the USA and the views from leading developers such as 8 Minute Energy and Solar Reserve on how some of the key challenges can be overcome.
This exclusive guide is free to download and is available here:

http://www.pv-insider.com/optimizationusa/content.php

The guide has been produced in conjunction with the PV Insider Utility-Scale Plant Optimization conference (25th-26th September, San Jose). For more information contact Letty Thomas by email: lthomas@pv-insider.com