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Book Description

This groundbreaking new book features holistic coverage of technological breakthroughs, financing trends, workforce development issues, and comparative regional case studies in solar energy. It provides a global bird's-eye view of the industry for scientists, engineers, business leaders, and policymakers — anyone seriously engaged in the rapidly evolving field of solar energy. The expert author's analysis includes primary data from the first comprehensive solar industry survey conducted in the United States, insights from key thought leaders in the energy sector, and case studies from international leaders in solar development. Solar Energy Markets examines six key drivers of the solar industry: 1) a new culture of environmentalism; 2) policy and markets; 3) financing and venture capital; 4) economics and cost-competitiveness; 5) innovation; and 6) labor. In a field too often marked by divisive over-specialization, this resource provides invaluable context, demonstrating how the solar field’s innovative triumphs and inherent challenges play out in the real global marketplace.



  • Analyzes key drivers of the solar industry at international, national and local levels
  • Synthesizes the first comprehensive surveys of the U.S. solar industry
  • Uniquely ties together technological innovation with market implications for engineers, business leaders and policymakers alike
  • Examines the evolving role of China in global solar markets

Table of Contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. 1. Introduction: An Overview of the Solar Industry
  7. 2. The Mechanics of Solar Power
    1. Installed Capacity
    2. The Manufacturing Process
    3. Thin Film
    4. Concentrated Solar Energy
    5. Parabolic Trough
    6. Power Tower
    7. Fresnel Reflectors
  8. 3. The New Culture of Environmentalism
    1. Global Trends
    2. United States
    3. Europe
    4. China
  9. 4. Finance and Venture Capital
    1. Research, Development, and Deployment
    2. Private Investment Trends
    3. Global Investments
    4. Public Sector Spending
  10. 5. Global Solar Policy
    1. Energy Policy
    2. EU Policy Framework
    3. Germany
  11. 6. Federal and State Energy Policies
    1. Federal Policies
    2. State Policies
    3. PACE
  12. 7. The Solar Labor Market—Efficiencies and Productivity
    1. United States
    2. Installation
    3. Manufacturing
    4. Sales and Distribution
    5. Project Developers
    6. Other
    7. Germany
    8. China
  13. 8. Global Markets
    1. Global Energy Demand
  14. 9. The Economics of Solar Power
  15. 10. Afterward
  16. Glossary
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