Bahram and Judith Shadzi, President and Vice President of Cosmic Solar were invited to Salt Lake City, Utah to receive their 6th award from Solar Power International 2019 for being one of the top solar companies in the United States. They are number 216, and in the top 50 for rooftop solar in the nation. Cosmic Solar is a part of a giant movement. Some estimates are that there are over 10,000 solar companies in some States. The Solar Power International Conference is the largest in the nation, with over
700 exhibitors and 500 speakers. This year’s conference exceeded all expectations. The first day over 19,000 people poured into the Salt Palace Convention Center to visit, connect, and learn about new developments and opportunities in the solar industry.
The conference opened with presentations from two powerful organizations in the solar industry. SEPA, Smart Electric Power Alliance, and SEIA, Solar Energy Industries Association. They are both working to move the industry forward to a renewable energy economy. SEPA is a nonprofit organization that facilitates, and envisions a carbon-free system by 2050. They work with the utilities to facilitate the electric power industry’s smart transition to a clean and modern energy future. SEIA is also non-profit, and it’s vision is to represent an industry that will be the single largest source of new energy and to grow a voice of a larger more unified, and more diverse industry. SEIA is a national organization but has local chapters. In California we have CALSEIA, and in October the Kentucky Solar Industries Association has become the newest official SEIA affiliate, called KYSEIA. Both SEPA and SEIA are working with the federal government to get the solar Investment Tax Credit, ITC, extended. As it stands, the tax credit begins phasing out at the beginning of 2020.
The SPI Conference theme this year was The Role of Clean Energy in an Integrated Decarbonization Strategy. Integration with other technologies is the goal. A variety of new industries are partnering with Solar technology. Just a few examples are software companies that map job sites, and other companies that handle project and financial management. There are panel cleaning robots, carport builders, and rain water harvesting companies. Wind Energy International was a new addition to the 2019 SPI Conference.
There was a huge line up of electric vehicles for test driving from Audi, Tesla, Nissan, BMW, and Chevi, to name a few. In 2018, 200,000 electric cars were sold nationally, which was 8% of all car sales.
A new development is Agrivoltaics; leasing solar arrays to dairy farmers. That is a new industry which has just opened up in the state of Vermont. Another new idea is building solar farms over landfills.
Also, the Battery and Storage area had expanded considerably. There were 250 booths in that area alone. There is much excitement and potential in the area of batteries and storage. The research and development has been phenomenal. There is a battery storage system for every situation. The Outback Company for one, has the complete battery package that will take your solar system completely off the grid for people living out in the country. For solar systems in town hooked up to the utility’s grid, there are storage systems that hold extra storage. The new storage systems that work with a solar system now give you extra hours of usage, but also provide electricity for a few appliances like the refrigerator and computers in the event your electricity goes out.
The Shadzis were very excited about a new Lithium battery, which can be used alone or coupled with chainable lead-acid batteries for your home. A designed power station plugs into your electric panel, is charged by your solar system, and provides extra energy for your home. The unique thing about this battery is that the Lithium battery can be unplugged and taken to the beach, or out camping. It is also less expensive than some of the larger systems.
The new goal for solar is to generate 20% of all energy production using renewable energy by 2030. The United States has now surpassed 2 million solar installations, and the year of 2020 has been declared as The Year of Solar. The market’s rapid growth has ”reshaped the energy conversation of this country,” says Abigail Hopper, president and CEO of SEIA.
If you have any questions about solar call 760-749-1111, or go to www.cosmicsolar.com. Please check out Cosmic Solar’s Facebook page and enjoy all our fun and educational videos.
