Solar Today

 

The sun is a remarkable abundant, clean, and renewable form of energy, and
it’s just within the last 20 or so years that solar panels, inverters and batteries
have evolved from an efficiency standpoint to the point where we are beginning
to see more homes and some businesses powered 100% with solar energy.

 

Solar is undergoing widespread and rapid growth in the U. S. and  world.

The Solar Over Louisville: 2 million watt Solar Challenge is designed to help
Louisville optimize its use of solar energy.  Solar energy is a proven technology
and the price of solar panels is at its cheapest time in history.[1]  

 

Louisville has good solar resources.  Yet Louisville and Kentucky currently lag

behind other cities and states in joining the soaring rates of solar installations

underway in this country and the world.  We can change this!

 

Unleash the creativity and innovation for which Louisvillians are known.

Louisville will benefit in multiple ways by creating a more diversified energy

mix that expands its reliance on solar energy, energy efficiency, and other

renewables.  Many believe it will save the city money.  It will also create local

jobs, cut carbon emissions, improve air and water quality, enhance health,

increase energy security, and protect the city’s economic draw as the world

around it shifts toward greater use of clean and renewable energy technologies.

 

There is another good reason to speed up the timeline for installing solar.  The thirty percent (30%) federal investment tax credit (ITC) for solar systems is set to expire in 2016.  If it does expire, the costs will go up and homeowners and businesses will lose a valuable opportunity to “go solar.”

 

Consider Germany, the fifth largest economy in the world, which has a climate comparable to Alaska and now routinely produces 30% of its energy from solar and as high as 50% on optimal days.  A Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) report found that in the first three quarters of 2014, more than one-third (36%) of new electricity capacity in the U.S. came from solar energy.[1]  Yet a recent research study found Louisville to rank low among America’s largest cities in solar-friendly policies and rates of installation.[2]  Now is a great time for homeowners and businesses in Louisville to decide to “go solar.”

 

Did you know?

• The amount of solar photovoltaics installed in the U. S. grew by nearly 500% from 2010 to 2013, to over 20 GW today (GTM Research/SEIA).

• The price of solar dropped by 53% since 2010 (ASES).

• In 2015, the U.S. has more than 600,000 solar installations that power more than 4 million homes (ASES)

• The U.S. has more than 20 GW of installed solar energy capacity [3]

 

Join us as we bring Louisville into a new solar-friendly era and expanded number of installations among homeowners and businesses. Explore this web site to learn more about solar basics, solar costs and financing, how to install solar, local installers, and many other resources.  The time for expanding the solar energy capacity in Louisville is now!

 

References:

[1] Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). (2015). U.S. Solar Market Insight: New report shows U.S. solar industry reaches 20 GW of installed capacity. 

[2] North Carolina State University (NCSU) Solar Center. (2015). Going Solar in America: Ranking solar's value to consumers in Americal's largest cities. 

[3] Solar Energy Industries Association. (2015). Solar Industry Data: Solar Industry breaks 20 GW barrier - grows 34% over 2013.