Anaheim, Calif. — Solar Power International 2009, the largest business-to-business solar energy conference and expo in North America, broke attendance records for the sixth year in a row last week. The 2009 conference drew more than 24,000 industry professionals, an increase from 17,500 in the previous year. Attendees originated from 99 countries and a broad cross-section of solar and related industries, including electric utilities, construction and investment banking. The annual Public Night event, open free to the general public, attracted an additional 3,000* people from the Southern California region.

The exhibit floor more than doubled in size from the previous year, featuring 929 companies from every part of the solar value chain. Industry leaders predicted growth in 2010 due to pent-up demand in emerging markets, the falling cost of solar electric power generation, the increased involvement of electric utility sector, and the confluence of business innovation and progressive energy policy. Politicians, dignitaries and celebrities converged on Anaheim to speak of the vast potential of solar to create a new, clean energy economy.

Growing attendance prompted the co-presenters of the conference, Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), to create a new entity, Solar Energy Trade Show LLC, which will produce future events such as Solar Power International 2010 (Oct. 12-14, 2010, in Los Angeles) and the upcoming PV America 2010 (April 8-10, 2010, in Washington, D.C.).

“Solar Power International was recently named one of Trade Show Week’s ‘Fastest 50′ growing conferences, but it is also one of the most inclusive. Year after year, our sold-out event attracts thousands of new participants from an increasing range of countries and economic sectors,” said Julia Hamm, executive director of SEPA. “The 2009 event was our most diverse yet, with 27 percent attending from outside the U.S. As the U.S. solar market matures, it is our top priority to remain vital and accessible to industry veterans and newcomers alike. We are excited to continue our partnership with SEIA through the Solar Energy Trade Show LLC, producing not just Solar Power International but a series of business-to-business events for our growing customer base.”

“The size and scope of Solar Power International reflects solar energy’s potential as an engine of economic growth,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “Now, as attendees head back to their offices and project sites, they need to focus the energy they felt at SPI onto their local and federal leaders, and demand policies which allow solar to compete fairly, let consumers to choose, and expand the U.S. solar market. We’re headed back to Washington ready to lead the fight to foster a policy environment that will create more jobs and more opportunities for consumers to go solar. We need everyone in the solar industry to come together and put our message into practice.”

RECAP OF CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

1. Videos of all three General Sessions, including SEIA and SEPA welcome remarks, as well as keynote speakers U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Ed Begley Jr.
2. Full text of U.S. Secretary of Labor Solis’ keynote speech
3. Full text of SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch’s “Solar Bill of Rights”
4. SEIA and SEPA announce new LLC
5. SEPA announces new Web site

KEY SOURCES FOR CONFERENCE NEWS

1. SPI, SEIA and SEPA Web sites
2. Exhibitor news page on SPI Web site (sort by company, date or title)
3. SPI ‘09 on Facebook and Flickr and Twitter (conference hashtag is #solpwr09) – join the conversation!

The Solar Electric Power Association SEPA is comprised of over 700 utilities and solar industry members. From national events to one-on-one counseling, SEPA is the go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence. Breaking down information overload into business reality, SEPA takes the time and risk out of implementing solar business plans and helps turn new technologies into new opportunities. www.solarelectricpower.org

Solar Energy Industries Association Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 members to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

“The utility industry requires leadership as they balance the traditional interests of reliability and costs with the emerging need to adapt to changing market conditions,” said Julia Hamm, SEPA’s executive director. “Don Brandt has begun the critical task of moving APS in a new, renewable direction with innovative initiatives ranging from distributed to centralized solar project and program developments. While the APS staff deserves credit for the ground-level implementation, having Don Brandt’s top-level solar vision and commitment is a key piece of their strategic change.”

Winners of the 2009 SEPA Solar Business Achievement Awards are:

• Utility CEO of the Year: Don Brandt, Arizona Public Service. Less than 6 months after being named CEO of Arizona Public Service, Don Brandt was quoted as stating Arizona will “become the solar capital of the world.” During the next 18 months, under Brandt’s leadership, APS has taken bold steps to make this vision a reality. APS commissioned the 280 megawatt Solana Generating Station, which includes first-in-the-US thermal energy storage capabilities, a distributed generation study to look at long-term planning impacts from increased penetration, and the development of an innovative distributed, photovoltaic program that integrates smart grid capabilities. APS projects adding 600,000 new customers by 2025, and the company plans to meet half of the needs of these new customers with solar and other renewable energy technologies
• Innovation in Solar Program Design: Public Service Electric and Gas. PSE&G has shown that significant and strategic investments in solar energy can occur outside of the sunbelt. The Solar4All program represents a measured, yet innovative approach to deploying utility-owned photovoltaics in sizes ranging from micro- to macro- applications, and will nearly double the size of New Jersey’s installed solar capacity. In what many observers find surprising, New Jersey currently has the second highest number of solar installations in the country – second only to California – and this continues there strong development plans. The company will own and operate 80 megawatts of solar by 2013 – enough energy to power about 12,000 homes. The 80 megawatts of solar capacity will eliminate 1.7 million tons of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of removing nearly 310,000 cars from the road for one year. Nearly half of the solar generation will be derived from individual solar panels installed on 200,000 PSE&G utility poles. This installation is the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world.
• Community Outreach and Public Awareness: Gainesville Regional Utilities. Gainesville Regional Utilities has moved itself to the forefront of PV development in the southeast with the development of its new feed-in tariff program, which required both customer and solar industry involvement and ‘learning while doing’ as part of the adjustment process in finalizing the details. Today, Gainesville is well known for its FIT program, having worked tirelessly to promote it not just within their community but to the utility and solar industries across the country as a better business model to their existing rebate program.
• Solar Portfolio Leadership: Southern California Edison. California is at the epicenter of U.S. solar developments and SCE’s solar portfolio represents a significant part of that deployment. Ranging from customer programs to ‘distributed PV power plants’ to centralized PV and CSP projects, their balanced and scaled approach will help change the landscape of the solar markets today and over the next five years. As California’s largest electric utility serving a population of more than 13 million via 4.8 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area, SCE is doing its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing its customers clean, green energy from renewable resources. Currently 17 percent of SCE’s energy mix comes from wind, solar, biomass, small hydropower and geothermal sources, and SCE is on-track to have 20% of it’s generation under contract by the end of 2010. SCE is the nation’s leading purchaser of solar power, buying approximately 65 percent of all U.S. solar generation for its customers through long-term commitments to centralized solar thermal plants.
• Partnering for Success: Portland General Electric partnering with U.S. Bank, Oregon Department of Transportation, and ProLogis. Portland General Electric has developed an innovative utility solar partnership program that has worked through the challenges inherent in project financing and siting, while leveraging the business needs of the utility and the interests of customers. The business model is both replicable and applicable to other utilities across the country. With the installation of the 104 kW Oregon Department of Transportation Solar Highway project and the 1.1 MW ProLogis thin film rooftop project, Portland General Electric became the first utility in the country to use a third-party solar ownership model. The ODOT project is also the nation’s first solar project along highway rights-of-way. To overcome customer funding constraints and capture the value of tax benefits neither customers nor PGE could use, PGE pioneered a utility solar business model using a partnership flip structure with U.S. Bank, more common for centralized wind projects, and now applicable to PGE’s distributed solar program.

About the Solar Electric Power Association: SEPA is comprised of over 700 utilities and solar industry members. From national events to one-on-one counseling,
SEPA is the go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence. Breaking down information overload into business reality, SEPA takes the time and risk out of
implementing solar business plans and helps turn new technologies into new opportunities. www.solarelectricpower.org

We have come together for this conference for the last six years. This time is different, because this moment is different.

My message to you today is simple, and it is urgent.

We stand at a crossroads — a decisive moment. The question is whether we’re going to appreciate the vital importance of the policy environment and get serious about shaping it. For our industry, everything hangs on that choice.

Let me say it more directly. When it comes to engaging in the major policy battles ahead, we face a choice right here, right now. There are two alternatives—and two alone: Go big. Or go home.

The possibilities of this moment are no surprise—not to us. The American people and our political leaders are appreciating more fully what you have long known: solar is here, solar is ready, and the future we have long worked to build is now.

Solar stands today in the mainstream of American energy—squarely alongside fossil fuels and nuclear power. According to the Edison Electric Institute, in 2009 solar accounts for 13% of all new utility announcements and filings, and that’s up from 6% last year.

Regardless of who you ask solar has a bright, clean and exciting future.

And when was the last time that anyone described the future of the coal industry as exciting? They might try to convince you that it’s “clean,” but it’s certainly not exciting.

The solar industry differs from our competitors not in status but in substance. We are an industry in ascent; they are sectors in decline. Our source is clean and limitless; theirs are toxic and scarce.

We as the solar industry represent the future of clean power, the new economy and a new era of American innovation.

That is the possibility of this moment.

Make no mistake: The challenges ahead of us are taller and tougher than any we have faced before. We cannot rely on the goodwill of policymakers to prevail. We must fight together, and we must fight to win.

And make no mistake about this either: We know how to win. And our victories of the last year prove it

You don’t need me to say how difficult the last year of the recession has been. You’re living it.

What you asked of SEIA was to secure policies that lift up the industry during tough economic times. And, we answered that call. And the results are powerful testimony to what we can accomplish together.

A year ago, after 18 months, 17 votes and nine filibusters, a long-term extension and expansion of the ITC was signed into law, including the removal of the utility exemption. The results for our industry have been tremendous.

Soon afterward, SEIA held a solar summit of industry leaders. Based on that meeting and subsequent emails and phone calls from our members, we developed a list of policy priorities that would help our industry survive the recession and lay the groundwork for future growth.

You said we needed to make the ITC refundable. We did it. A new Treasury Grant Program provides a 30 percent rebate on system costs.

You said we needed to improve the loan guarantee program. We did it. There’s the new 1705 program to which many of you in this room have applied.

You said we needed to remove the tax penalty for subsidized renewable energy financing. We did it. Businesses and individuals can use the full solar tax credit, regardless of any other subsidies. This has cleared the way for Vice President Biden’s announcement last week of the Recovery through Retrofit program that uses PACE financing.

You said we needed to improve the tax credit for solar water heating. We did it. The $2,000 cap on the residential SWH investment tax credit is gone—clearing the way for 2 million square feet of collector installations in 2009.

You said we needed more solar on federal property. We did it — securing $5.5 billion in appropriations to construct, repair and retrofit federal buildings.

You said we needed to increase solar appropriations for the Department of Energy. We did it. There’s $16.8 billion in new money to the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

You said we needed more funding for job training. We did it — including $500 million to train the next generation of green collar workers.

You said we needed an incentive to encourage solar manufacturing in the U.S. We did it, creating a 30-percent ITC for new facilities.

We accomplished all this and more. We — not simply one organization in Washington, but our entire industry working and speaking and fighting as one.

All told, we secured no fewer than 19 separate provisions in the stimulus—provisions that we expect to create over 100,000 solar jobs in the next several years. And these funds are steadily making their way from Washington to solar companies. And, the results are beginning to show.

The industry has been hard at work removing bottlenecks that have historically blocked progress. In the case of solar water heating, that bottleneck was SRCC certification. So far this year SRCC has added 6 new labs and certified 46 new collectors and 154 systems.

To be sure, growth this year will not be as explosive as it has been in recent years. But the important point is that our industry will not decline — and that’s a substantial achievement only possible because we worked together to create a policy environment where solar thrives.

And SEIA is working to help the industry prosper in other ways by cutting your costs and protecting your business. Today we are proud to announce a new insurance program with Kessler tailored to the unique needs of solar companies of all sizes. Drop by our either of our booths to learn more.

I hope you share our pride in all we have accomplished together. But there is one thing we cannot afford to be: satisfied or complacent.

These successes are lifting our industry during a year when economic forces were pressing us down. But our work is not finished, and we aspire to win far more than the policy battles of a single year. The fights ahead will surpass any we have seen so far—and so will the victories, if we work together.

The policy environment we’ll have to work in will shape our future just as much as the choices we make in technology, manufacturing, financing or any other field.

All we seek is the freedom to compete, and all consumers want is the freedom to choose their energy source. Instead, the full promise of solar power is being restrained by the tyranny of policies that protect our competitors, subsidize wealthy polluters and disadvantage green entrepreneurs.

And Americans know better than anyone else in the world that there’s only one way to overcome tyranny—by declaring our rights and fighting for them with a united and determined voice.

That is why, today, SEIA is asking you to enlist in the fight to secure a policy environment that allows solar to compete and empowers consumers to choose.

So let’s make today solar’s Fourth of July —the day we declare our independence from policies that prevent greater use of solar energy which Americans so urgently need.

Today, we’re declaring a Solar Bill of Rights.

And here’s our First Amendment:

First, Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses. Today’s systems beautify and add value to communities and homes, and yet antiquated rules prevent many homes and businesses from going solar. From restrictive covenants to onerous connection, permitting and inspection fees these rules create fundamental barriers to solar. Utilities should not be allowed to restrict green power with red tape.

Number 2, Americans have the right to connect their solar system to the grid with uniform national standards. This is as simple as creating a standard jack for telephones. Can you imagine buying a phone in Nevada and bringing it home to California and finding out it doesn’t fit into the wall jack? Other industries don’t stand for this and neither should we.

Next, Consumers have the right to Net Meter and be compensated at the very least with full retail electricity rates. Call this solar’s eminent domain—utilities use the power we make, and we expect to be compensated at its actual value. This is not just the cost, but the true value of solar including our security benefits, peak power benefits and environmental benefits – as well as the true price for carbon.

And this right, for me and my family, is personal.

This image you are seeing on the screen is a picture of my system at home that net meters. When I originally installed the system, I was required to pay 2.5 cents/kWh for any electricity that I sent to the grid. Thankfully the DC PSC reversed that rule and we now have full retail net metering. This has encouraged us to expand our system.

In an effort to generate 100% of our electricity from the sun, I recently upgraded my system with more panels and SolarMagic, to boost the efficiency of the system.

And with respect to net metering? We have an app for that.

And our industry deserves fair treatment too.

Number 4, we have the right to a fair competitive environment. It’s the most basic right there is—equality under the law. Today, solar has anything but. And that’s not just an opinion, that’s a fact.

From 2002 to 2008, federal subsidies for fossil fuels were $72 billion while solar received less than $1 billion. This is completely disconnected with the desires of the American people.

Recent independent polling shows that 92% of the public supports greater use of solar. And yet taxpayers are forced to subsidize companies like ExxonMobil, companies that are the richest in the history of the world.

It’s that simple—and that wrong. Subsidies aren’t the only issue of fairness, which leads me to number 5.

We also have the right to equal access to public lands. Oil and natural gas companies are operating on 45 million acres of public lands. Today, solar companies have access to ZERO. America has the best solar resources in the world and we can’t harness the full potential of the sun without accessing our sun-baked lands of the West.

Of course, there’s little point in collecting energy unless there’s a means of distributing it.

That’s why our 6th Amendment is that we have the right to interconnect and build new transmission lines. Here, too, we seek no more than what other industries already have. The next great build out of our transmission lines must connect the vast solar resources in the southwest to the population centers across the United States.

WNumber 7, Americans must have the right to buy solar electricity from our utilities. Consumers have no choice but to buy power from utilities. Although recently some utilities have started to listen to the 92 percent of Americans who want them to prioritize a kilowatt of power drawn from the sun over any other energy source. We have a long way to go. Therefore, for any renewable portfolio standard to be effective, at either the federal or state level, it must contain a large carve out for all solar energy technologies.

Finally, Number 8. Consumers have the right, and should expect, the highest ethical treatment from the solar industry. From minimizing our impact on the environment to providing systems that work better than advertized to ensuring that we accurately communicate how incentives work for consumers, our industry must operate at a higher ethical standard than any other. We will not stand for those who cheat, lie and take advantage of the good name of solar energy.

We declare these rights not on behalf of our companies, but on behalf of our customers and our country. We seek no more than the freedom to compete on equal terms and no more than the liberty for consumers to choose the energy source they think best.

These rights, like those on which country was founded, are a simple matter of common-sense. In fact, you might even call them “self-evident.”

But that doesn’t mean they’re self-evident in the halls of power, especially when our opponents are pumping as much haze into the energy debate as they are into the environment.

They are spending millions of dollars on lobbying, PR and advertising, and much of it is financing a deliberate effort to discredit our industry. In advertising alone, the coal industry will spend $50 million and the oil and gas industries will spend over $100 million on advertising this year.

Collectively, this effort has put a target on solar’s back.

And guess how much the solar industry is spending on advertising to clear the air: Zero.

This isn’t a battle we can win without ammunition. We can’t sustain the hits we’re taking without armor. Yes, we have goodwill. And there’s no question we have superior technology. But at the end of the day in Washington, good intentions won’t stand a chance against millions of dollars and intense political pressure. We have relied on goodwill long enough and if that’s the only arrow in our quiver, we will lose.

Nor can we prevail in the absolutely crucial policy battles that are raging right now. Congress is currently working on a Clean Energy and Climate Bill. Here’s just a small sampling of what’s at stake.

The creation of a national renewable electricity standard. Although currently not perfect in design or size, we are pushing for a 25 percent RES by 2025 and standards that guarantee the growth of solar.

The creation a national cap and trade program that allocates 10 percent of all carbon credits to the states to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Literally tens of billions of dollars of initial funding for our industry are at stake as well as a long-term price signal on carbon that will benefit all solar technologies.

With respect to transmission, there are numerous measures to support the construction of new transmission, including expanded siting authority for FERC, new regional planning, and innovative regional cost allocation.

Also included is a long-term PPA authority for the federal government, allowing the country’s largest energy consumer to benefit from the economic efficiencies of the solar PPA.

The bill also creates the Clean Energy Deployment Administration (or clean energy bank) to provide a suite of financing options to support renewable energy projects.

And the list goes on and on. I encourage you to go to SEIA’s website for more information.

Passage of this bill will be a substantial fight. How our country proceeds on climate change will permanently shape the market for solar. And those pieces of legislation are only the beginning. Ultimately, what we must secure are our fundamental rights.

Every plank of the Solar Bill of Rights is absolutely essential to the future of solar power in America. Every plank is going to face determined opposition. And every advance for our industry in the policy arena demands total, sustained and completely committed engagement from everyone in this room.

So if you believe in this Bill of Rights—if you want to enlist in the fight for equality and liberty in the energy market—if you agree that policy is every bit as important to the solar industry’s future as any other business investment, then SEIA needs your help.

I’m asking you today to make a specific commitment to SEIA—a commitment of time and resources—to put this Bill of Rights into action. I need each of you to take at least the following steps:

First, we need you to join national SEIA. We need you to be part of the team. In years past I have encouraged you to join state SEIAs. This year I am asking you to join national SEIA as well. There’s never been a better time to advance clean energy policy in Washington than today, and we need your voice to be part of national SEIA. And when we send out our action alerts, we need you to take action, to become a voice in the debate, to be another soldier fighting for our liberty.

Second, we need you to engage your policymakers. Invite your elected officials, including your governor and Members of Congress to visit your plant or business. When policymakers think of solar, I don’t want them thinking of a lobbyist. I want them thinking of you—of your company and how you are creating jobs in their districts.

We also need to support those that support us. So if you have a House member or Senator who supports solar, please attend one of their fundraisers to show your support.

While you are at it, if you are a SEIA member, I want you to contribute to the SEIA PAC. In 2008 the oil industry contributed $22 million to political candidates, the utility industry $21 million. The solar industry: $138,000. We cannot compete with the entrenched energy interests unless we step up our game.

Plain and simply, SEIA members have to support those who support us. In fact tomorrow there is a SEIA PAC fundraiser for members at 5:30 at the Anaheim Convention Center 3rd Floor Terrace. Stop by and become part of Team Solar.

And just to drive home this point – I would like all of SEIA’s staff to stand up – every one of SEIA’s employees has made a financial contribution to the SEIA PAC. Not only are they giving up their nights and weekends to advance solar energy and your business, but they are giving up a portion of their paychecks too. Let’s give them a round of applause for their leadership.

Everyone employed by the solar industry should be making a contribution to the PAC, every year.

Finally, we need you to get the word out. We need you to write at least one opinion piece for your local media. We need to tell the American people what our industry already knows: Solar is ready, here and now, to make a major contribution to America’s energy needs—but we need a fair policy environment to do it. SEIA will help you write and submit these pieces, but we need you to take the first step forward.

In every one of those efforts, take the Solar Bill of Rights with you. It’s posted on SEIA’s website, and we’re emailing it to you right now. Read it, distribute it, and fight for it. We need to get ahead of every one of those issues rather than simply fight each battle as it comes.

As we undertake this effort, please remember this too: Under this roof we represent many interests and engage in many debates. Outside these walls, though, it’s imperative that the solar industry speak as one – including all technologies. We’ve already seen at the state level what happens when we divide ourselves: namely, nothing.

There is no difference in this room nearly as big as what we stand to lose if we try to drag policymakers into a solar-vs.-solar debate. Our debate—and one in which victory will benefit us all—is between solar and less viable and less sustainable alternatives. There is ample room for debate among us, but this Bill of Rights should unite us all.

And in the same way that this Bill of Rights unites us, so will the newly formed Solar Foundation, which will serve as the center for public education and information to tackle market barriers here in the United States.

Let me close on this note: In every one of those efforts, to secure every one of these rights, we need time—absolutely. We need resources—no question.

But what we need above all else, from each of you, is passion and patriotism—the kind of energy patriotism that’s willing to fight for what’s right—for us, for our customers and, let there be no question about it, for our country. Nothing less is at stake.

Solar stands at a crossroads today, a moment of decision that will profoundly shape the history of our industry and, with it, the history of our world. And like any crossroads, this one demands a choice.

We can accept the tyranny of a century of policies that protects our competitors, or we can fight for a new century of policies that secure our rights.

We can decide our rights are worth fighting for or we can sit still and hope for the best.

That’s the choice. And that’s the bottom line: Fight, or surrender. Go big, or go home.

And for an industry whose story is American to the core—built from an idea and carried on the shoulders of entrepreneurs—that’s no choice at all. We choose to fight. We choose to demand our rights in the only way we can attain them: together.

And together, we will prevail.

Thank you very much.

###

Background Resources:
Solar Bill of Rights - www.SolarBillofRights.com
Powerpoint Slides of Resch’s Speech - http://seia.org/galleries/default-file/Rhone%20Resch%20SPI%20speech.pdf

About SEIA:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of
solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a
mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry
and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Learn more at www.seia.org.

SEIA President & CEO Rhone Resch is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/RhoneResch
SEIA is on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/thesolarindustry) and
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Solar-Energy-Industries-Association/112495296809)

###

Media Contact:
Monique Hanis, 202.556.2885, mhanis@seia.org
Jared Blanton, 202.556.2886, jblanton@seia.org
Mark Sokolove, Tigercomm, 703.599.7656, mark@tigercomm.us

Anaheim, Calif. –– Solar Power International 2009, the largest business-to-business solar energy conference and expo in North America, begins today at the Anaheim Convention Center and continues for three days October 27 – 29. Presented by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Solar Power International is the premier gateway to the U.S. solar market and a closely watched indicator of the industry’s growth. Besides expecting record attendance, the show more than doubled in size with 925 companies represented in the Expo Hall. Last year’s event had 425 exhibitors.

Key themes at this year’s event include the potential of the U.S. as the biggest solar energy market in the world, the impact of solar jobs on the domestic economy, the central role of policy and participation of utilities in the solar industry’s expansion, falling costs for solar equipment, and innovative new technologies and business models driving market adoption of solar in the U.S. market. The conference encompasses all solar technologies including solar photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal (also called solar water heating), space heating and cooling, and utility-scale concentrating solar power, and concentrating PV plants.

The highly anticipated keynote speakers – U.S. Labor Secretary Solis, Governor Richardson, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Ed Begley Jr. – will provide a broad perspective on transforming the U.S. energy landscape to a new clean energy economy, and on leveraging clean, renewable solar power to address the stark environmental concerns facing our planet. The plenary sessions also include two CEO Panels, in which captains of the utility and solar industries discuss critical and timely aspects of the solar marketplace.

“Once again Solar Power International welcomes the entire world to California to explore the vast potential of solar energy,” said Julia Hamm, conference chair and executive director of SEPA. “But the U.S. solar industry is not just in the Golden State. It is now thriving from the Southwest to the Northeast, with utility-scale plants appearing across the country and solar arrays proliferating on homes and businesses in every state. Solar Power International is the place to experience this dynamic industry in action. We are the only event that unites the entire solar industry under one roof. We provide unparalleled learning and networking opportunities for attendees to grow business. And we are proud to invest the event proceeds directly toward the continued growth of the industry.”

“The U.S. solar industry has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets in the world.  Driven by strong policy support at the state and federal level, solar is rapidly becoming a critical part of our economy and our energy industry.” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “Solar Power International is the showcase of the new economy and how policies that focus on cutting edge technologies can result in economic growth, job creation and new business opportunity.  The world hasn’t seen an industry with as much potential as the solar industry since the early days of the Internet.  Every entrepreneur in America is looking to Anaheim this week.”

Solar Power International features more than 200 expert speakers in 65 break-out sessions, covering the latest developments in solar markets, policy, technology, finance and implementation. For those looking to build a career in the solar industry, the conference offers training workshops at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels on Monday and Friday. The 203,900-square-foot exhibit floor showcases 925 companies from every part of the solar value-chain. The exhibit floor is segmented by product type, making the show easy to navigate for individuals and businesses looking to find and develop relationships.

Although the focus of Solar Power International is business-to-business interaction, the conference once again presents the ever-popular “Public Night,” when show organizers open the expo floor and present free workshops to the public on Wednesday evening, Oct. 28, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Solar Power International’s Public Night has become a tradition and will be a major draw for members of the public eager to learn about the latest solar technology for their homes and businesses.

For more information, visit www.solarpowerinternational.com. Join Solar Power International on Facebook (http://ow.ly/nLsh) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/SolarPwrIntl), and use the Twitter hashtag (#solpwr09) to get real-time updates form the event. General Session Web casts will be posted to the conference Web site in the coming days.

General Session Schedule

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

• Welcome by SEPA Chairman David Rubin, PG&E, and SEIA Chairman Roger Efird, Suntech America
• Keynote Speakers (in chron. order): Julia Hamm, Rhone Resch, Ed Begley Jr., U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

• Keynote Speaker: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• CEO Panel #1: Developing the Utility-Scale Market for Solar
  • Moderator: Michael Schmela, Editor in Chief, Photon International
  • Panelists: Don Brandt, Arizona Public Service; Reyad Fezzani, BP Solar; John Woolard, BrightSource; Robert E. Hunzinger, Gainesville Regional Utility; Carlos Domenech, SunEdison

Thursday, Oct. 29, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.

• Keynote Speaker: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
• CEO Panel #2: Surviving the Solar Shakeout
  • Moderator: Anne Thompson, NBC
  • Panelists: Jeffery Wolfe, groSolar; Freeman Ford, FAFCO; Ron Kenedi, Sharp Solar; Tom Werner, SunPower Corp.; Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech

Solar Power International presents “Public Night”

• Free, public access to the largest solar energy expo in North America
• Wednesday, Oct. 28, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. @ Anaheim Convention Center
• See and learn about the latest solar energy technology for your home or business. Visit and talk to experts representing over 900 solar energy companies, and attend one of our free workshops:
  • 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Solar PV for Homeowners with Gary Barsley, Southern California Edison and Michael Hidary, Global Solar Center, Room 207ABCD
  • 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. California Solar Initiative (CSI) Forum, Room 303ABCD
  • 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Solar Hot Water Heating for Homeowners with Mark Thornbloom, Viessmann Manufacturing Company and Tom Bohner, Integrated Solar LLC, Room Grand Ballroom DE
  • 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Find Your Dream Job in Solar with Andy Black, On-Grid Solar and Liz Merry, Verve Solar, Room 204ABC
  • 7:30 – 8:30 PM Solar Advocates in Action with Scott Hennessey and Katherine Gensler, Solar Energy Industries Association, Room 207ABCD

Event Location: Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave. For information on paid parking: http://bit.ly/pqN8r.

Solar Power International is co-presented by the Solar Electric Power Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association.

The Solar Electric Power Association SEPA is comprised of over 700 utilities and solar industry members. From national events to one-on-one counseling, SEPA is the go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence. Breaking down information overload into business reality, SEPA takes the time and risk out of implementing solar business plans and helps turn new technologies into new opportunities. www.solarelectricpower.org

Solar Energy Industries Association Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of the solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 members to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

# # #

Washington, D.C. — Today the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced that they have formed a new jointly owned legal entity, Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC that will produce a portfolio of high-impact solar energy events designed to support the ongoing expansion of the U.S. solar energy industry. Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC will build upon SEPA and SEIA’s track record producing some of the world’s most successful solar industry events, and will continue to invest event proceeds toward the continued growth of the U.S. solar industry.

“Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC is a reflection of the strength of SEPA and SEIA as co-producers of B2B events like Solar Power International, North America’s largest and most-watched B2B solar trade event,” said Julia Hamm, executive director of SEPA. “Our effective collaboration paid dividends in the rapid growth of Solar Power International, which covers the full spectrum of solar technologies, attracts world-class industry experts and has become the premier gateway for global solar companies conducting business in the U.S.”

“With Solar Power International attracting more than 20,000 people from 90 countries, we felt it was the right time to create a new entity to produce this and other cutting-edge B2B events,” said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. “This collaboration yields events targeted to the needs of the solar industry and allows SEPA and SEIA to focus on our separate but complementary missions to expand the U.S. solar energy market.”

Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC will continue SEPA’s and SEIA’s traditions of inviting solar business leaders to weigh in on event programming. The LLC will be governed by a Board of Managers comprising leadership from both SEPA and SEIA, which represents all aspects of the industry. The current board members include:

• Co-Chair Alex Kim, Director of Customer Innovations, San Diego Gas & Electric Co.
• Co-Chair Alex Marker, Regional Research and Development, SCHOTT Solar
• Roger Efird, President, Suntech America
• Ervin Hancock, Manager of Renewable & Green Strategies, Georgia Power
• Julia Hamm, Executive Director, SEPA
• Rhone Resch, President & CEO, SEIA
• Emily Easley, Director of Membership and Events, SEPA
• Shannon Watson, Director of Meetings, SEIA

“The Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC is an extension of SEPA’s educational mission, bridging the gap between electric utilities and the solar industry,” said Alex Kim, SEPA Board Member and Co-Chair of the new entity’s Board of Managers. “Utilities are a lynchpin in the future development of U.S. solar, and we believe the new LLC will provide numerous opportunities for utilities to learn from one another and work closely with solar companies, resulting in the continued integration of solar energy in the utility sector.”

“We recognize that high-quality B2B events like Solar Power International are critical to growing business, achieving consensus and raising public awareness during a turning point for solar energy in the U.S.,” said Alex Marker, SEIA Board Member and Co-Chair of the new entity’s Board of Managers. “The Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC will ensure that future events remain hotbeds of policy discussion, market growth and innovation.”

The first announced events to be produced by Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC will be PV America 2010, April 8-10 at the Washington DC Convention Center, and Solar Power International 2010, October 12-14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Solar Electric Power Association: SEPA is comprised of over 700 utilities and solar industry members. From national events to one-on-one counseling, SEPA is the go-to resource for unbiased and actionable solar intelligence. Breaking down information overload into business reality, SEPA takes the time and risk out of implementing solar business plans and helps turn new technologies into new opportunities. www.solarelectricpower.org

Solar Energy Industries Association: Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association is the national trade association of solar energy industry. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. www.seia.org

# # #

Washington, DC - Solar Power International is proud to welcome Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis to Solar Power International on Tuesday, October 27 during the General Session, for welcoming remarks. Secretary Hilda L. Solis was confirmed as Secretary of Labor on February 24, 2009. Prior to confirmation as Secretary of Labor, Secretary Solis represented the 32nd Congressional District in California, a position she held from 2001 – 2009.
A nationally recognized leader on the environment, Solis became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000 for her pioneering work on environmental justice issues. Her California environmental justice legislation, enacted in 1999, was the first of its kind in the nation to become law.
The General Session is open to Full Conference Registrants only. If you have not registered you can register online now and pick up your badge on-site. If you are an exhibits only registrant you can upgrade to a Full Conference Registration package, on-site, at The Anaheim Convention Center, in Hall. A. On-site registration opens on Monday, October 26 at 7:00 AM.

More

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Washington, DC – Ed Begley, Jr. will keynote Tuesday’s Opening General Session.

Turning up at Hollywood events on his bicycle, Ed has been considered an environmental leader in the Hollywood community for many years. He has served as chairman of the Environmental Media Association, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. He still serves on those boards, as well as the Thoreau Institute, the Earth Communications
Office, Tree People and Friends of the Earth, among many others.

His work in the environmental community has earned him a number of awards from some of the most prestigious environmental groups in the nation, including the California League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Coalition for Clean Air, Heal the Bay and the Santa Monica Baykeeper.
He currently lives near Los Angeles in a self-sufficient home powered by solar energy.

The General Session is open to Full Conference Registrants only. If you have not registered you can register online now and pick up your badge on-site. If you are an exhibits only registrant you can upgrade to a Full Conference Registration package, on-site, at The Anaheim Convention Center, in Hall. A. On-site registration opens on Monday, October 26 at 7:00 AM.

More