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Giant solar conference fires up in Anaheim
October 26th, 2009, 3:13 pm · 11 Comments · posted by Pat Brennan, green living, environment editor
If big, impressive-sounding numbers are any indication, the solar power industry is booming – even as the nation’s economy struggles to shake off recession.
Some very big numbers indeed are being tossed around by the organizers of Solar Power International 2009, billed as ”America’s largest solar event,” which begins Tuesday at the Anaheim Convention Center.
More than 20,000 people from 90 countries are expected to attend the three-day conference, and 925 companies will exhibit their wares, more than doubling last year’s 425.
“The solar industry as a whole is definitely starting to see an uptick,” said Lyndon Rive, chief executive officer of SolarCity, a solar power-system leasing company with offices in Orange County. “We hit a speed bump at the end of last year, beginning of this year.”
That was because most solar power systems are financed, he said; when little financing was available, it delayed the industry’s growth. Now, he says, financing is starting to flow again. 
Stimulus funding, including tax grants for businesses that install solar systems, also is helping drive the solar industry’s ascent, he said.
In addition to networking, Rive will deliver a speech on how to make the United States the leading solar market; right now, that title is typically held by Germany.
The U.S. market, in fact, is gaining increasing international attention, said Julia Hamm, conference chairwoman.
“The solar marketplace is very global in nature,” Hamm said. “There are a huge number of players in Europe, Asia, all over the world. Right now they’re all seeing the U.S. as the hottest new solar market. We have a very high percentage of attendees who want to get a foot in the door, and be able to do business in the U.S.”
Some big names are expected at the conference this year: U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, activist Robert Kennedy Jr. and actor and activist Ed Begley Jr. will deliver keynote speeches.
And while the conference is mostly “business to business” — exhibitors showing off their latest solar innovations, roundtable discussions among CEOs — the conference also offers a “public night” on Wednesday, when everyone is invited to prowl the cavernous, 203,000-square-foot exhibition space.
Among the exhibits: a booth on a solar thermal power plant in Spain that manages to generate solar electricity — even at night; a solar-system retrofit that boosted energy output from solar panels at an affordable housing project in Oakland by 22 percent; and the smallest-ever industrial robot, designed for solar component manufacturing.
The yearly event is put on by the Solar Electric Power Association and the Solar Energy Industries Assocation.
(Photo of last year’s conference courtesy, Solar Power International. Photo of solar carport installed at Coast Community College District headquarters in Costa Mesa courtesy SolarCity.)
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Things are booming so much for this industry that they’ve rented out all of Disneyland tomorrow night! Disneyland will close at 5:00 p.m. and kick all the regular guests out. Then Disneyland reopens at 7:00 p.m. for a private party for the Solar Industry conventioneers, including all the rides, big buffets and open cocktail bars, and a special showing of Fantasmic! at 9:30 p.m.
It takes a lot of money to rent out Disneyland for the night, fire up a private showing of Fantasmic!, and install open cocktail bars in Adventureland and whiskey shots in Frontierland! You have to sell a lot of solar panels, or get your hands on some big stimulus checks, to afford to do that!
I checked Miceage.com, and Aztek is right. The Solar Convention has rented out Disneyland for a big private party tonight. No offense to Pat Breenan, but why wasn’t the Disneyland party part of the article I wonder?
This behavior is so typical of these leftist greenies. They fly around the world in jets, soaking up taxpayer money and “stimulus” funds that came from our paychecks, telling us how to live our lives and preaching that we are killing the planet with our mundane middle class lifestyles. And then at the end of the day they go have a big party at Disneyland and use up huge amounts of electricity and resources to keep themselves entertained while they pat themselves on the back.
If these greenies were really that concerned about saving the planet at this convention, they would pull the plug on Disneyland and go back to their hotel room and read a book tonight. Typical hypocrite behavior from the Green crowd though.
Solar and wind are a nice idea
But the sun doesn’t shine nor does the wind blow everyday
The true answer is
1) Nuclear (with constant recycled fuel, less waste to store)
2) Clean Coal (Lots of Gasification and scrubbers, re-build the oldest dirtiest plants)
3) Hydro (sorry fish)
4) Bio-mass (Trash, forest and farm waste)
5) Extreme Population Control
The sun shines everyday, even if you want it to or not. The wind also blows every day, not always in the same place. I think the problem is you never heard of batteries.
But I agree with nuclear being a solution.
I just wish the writer used the title “Giant solar conference “flares” up in Anaheim”. Just my perverse humor.
Another industry that can’t survive without government subsidies.
that’s because AL GORE… and all his Global Warming talk
is out to Make Money for HIS COMPANY….
Does he Really Care????
I can’t believe people here are actually AGAINST solar energy especially living in a place where it’s sunny 95% of the time. Hello? Use your brains a bit.
SOLARCITY rules!!!!
If solar and wind are so great, why do they need subsidies? Other energy sources didn’t.
Also, many of those believiong we are to live the “green” life have a lot of green themselves and use it for trips around the world in private jets and limos telling everyone else how to live.
The OC is very republican. But that’s OK, they can use solar too!
The fact is that the government, e.g. we citizens, provide support and subsidies to many industries we deem important. This includes the coal, oil, gas, corn, wheat, beef, mortgage, health and education industries. If you are a homeowner, you are getting a subsidy in the form of a mortgage tax deduction. If you install solar panels in California, you will get a subsidy in the form of federal tax credit and a cash rebate from the utility company.
The fact is that installing solar panels at your home or business can cut your electric bill to $0 today. For example, if you spend $200 per month for electricity, then you will spend $81,979 over 25 years, including a low annual price inflation rate of 2.5%. No matter how you calculate it, you will save money with a $5,000 to $25,000 solar panel system. Forget confusing cost per kilo-watt (kW) comparisons. Remember, you can pay the utility for 25 years, with annual price increases, or you can pay a lot less with solar power.
To do something about this today, visit FreeCleanSolar.com to search a nationwide network of 500 local solar panel installers representing most every solar panel brand including Sunpower, Kyocera, Sharp and Sunwize. You can also find information about state solar rebates, federal tax credits, solar financing and leasing, system costs and the benefits of going solar. The bottom line is that solar can save money and has never been more affordable than it is today.