The photovoltaic solar energy industry has demonstrated tremendous growth over the past several years and that growth is forecasted to continue in the intermediate term. The global photovoltaic industry reached $10.6 Billion in sales in 2006, with US shipments of photovoltaics increasing at an average annualized rate of 28% from 1995 to 2005. Sunton firmly believes that solar energy will continue to play an important and increasingly viable role in our energy economy as technology research and development improves efficiencies and reduces costs. Advances in solar technologies have, and will continue to, improve the energy economics of solar energy. Political developments are also expected to drive the adoption of solar energy in light of the increasing cost of oil and environmental concerns such as global warming. Recent developments such as the increasing number of states who have promulgated Renewable Portfolio Standards (policy requiring electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources) and the European Union’s decision to increase its renewable energy mix to 20% by 2020 from its current 7% level are indicative of this trend. In fact, currently there are 20 states plus the District of Columbia that have Renewable Portfolio Standards in place, accounting for more than 42% of the electricity sales in the United States.

Opportunities

Sunton’s interest in the solar energy sector centers on those technologies that 1) improve efficiencies of current silicon based technologies; and 2) foster the development of the next generation of solar technologies (e.g. “nano-solar” and “thin-film” technologies). If you believe you are on the cutting edge of developing one of these solar technologies we encourage you to submit your proposal by clicking on the link below.

Solar Energy Industry Links:

American Solar Energy Society
Solar Energy Industries Association
Solarbuzz

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR OPPORTUNITY