Analyzing Solar Power in the United States

A. Executive Summary

B. Introduction to the US Renewable Energy Industry
B.1 Industry Overview
B.2 Why the US Needs Renewables
B.3 Trends in the Market
B.3.1 Falling Prices of Oil and Gas
B.3.2 Modernization of the US Electrical Grid Modernization
B.3.3 2008 Financial Crisis and the Renewables Sector
B.3.4 Regulatory Support
B.3.5 Low Cost for Carbon Emissions Trading
B.3.6 Regulatory Support from President Obama
B.3.7 Role of China
B.3.8 High Cost of Renewable Energy Alternatives
B.3.9 Issue of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
B.4 Integration of Renewable Energy
B.5 Patterns of Use

C. SWOT Framework Analysis: Solar Power in the US
C.1 Strengths to Build Upon
C.2 Weaknesses to Overcome
C.3 Opportunities to Exploit
C.4 Threats to Overcome

D. Solar Power in the US
D.1 Overview
D.1.1 Market for Photovoltaics
D.1.2 Market for Concentrating Solar Power
D.2 Solar Resource in the US
D.3 Growth of the Industry
D.4 Solar Thermal Plants
D.4.1 Plants under Construction
D.4.2 Proposed Plants
D.5 Industry and Growth
D.6 Polysilicon Shortage
D.7 Market for Solar Heating & Cooling

E. Consumer Energy Market and Impact of Solar Energy

F. Emerging Technologies in the Solar Power Market
F.1 Carbon Nanotubes
F.1.1 Overview
F.1.2 Types of Carbon Nanotubes
F.1.3 Applications of Carbon Nanotubes
F.1.4 Carbon Nanotubes and Photovoltaics
F.1.4.1 Usage of Carbon Nanotubes as Transparent Electrode
F.1.4.2 Usage of Carbon Nanotubes in DSSCs
F.2 Flexible Solar Cells
F.3 Holographic Solar Concentrator Technology
F.4 Hybrid Solar Cells
F.4.1 Overview
F.4.2 Types of Hybrid Solar Cells
F.4.2.1 Polymer–Nanoparticle Composite
F.4.2.2 Carbon Nanotubes
F.4.2.3 Dye-sensitized Solar Cells
F.4.2.4 Nanostructured Inorganic–Small Molecules
F.4.3 Improving the Efficiency of Hybrid
F.5 Miniature Solar Cells
F.5.1 Overview
F.5.2 Increasing the Efficiency of Tandem Cells
F.6 Nanopillars
F.6.1 Overview
F.6.2 Relation between Nanopillars and Better Solar Cells
F.6.3 Three-Dimensional Nanopillar-Array PV
F.6.4 US DoE's Nanopillars and Solar Cells Project
F.7 Nanostructured Coating
F.8 Nanoplasmonic Solar Cells
F.9 Nanowire Solar Cells
F.10 Organic Photovoltaics
F.10.1 Overview
F.10.2 Multilayer Organic Photovoltaic Cells
F.10.3 Cost Analysis
F.11 Photoelectrochemical Cells
F.11.1 Overview
F.11.2 Types of Photoelectrochemical Cell
F.11.2.1 Photogeneration Cell
F.11.2.2 Graetzel Cell/Dye Sensitized Cell
F.12 Plasmonic Solar Cells
F.12.1 Overview
F.12.2 Applications of Plasmonic Solar Cells
F.12.2.1 Role in Space Exploration Vehicles
F.12.2.2 Role in Rural Electrification
F.12.2.3 Role in Producing High Power
F.12.2.4 Role in Consumer Electronics
F.12.3 Recent Developments
F.12.3.1 Third Generation Solar Cells
F.12.3.2 Multiple Energy Levels
F.12.3.3 Hot Carrier Cells
F.13 Polymer Solar Cells
F.13.1 Overview
F.13.2 Physical Features
F.13.3 Architecture of a Polymer Solar Cell
F.13.4 Potential Markets
F.13.5 Conclusion
F.14 Quantum Dot Solar Cells
F.14.1 Overview
F.14.2 Applications of Quantum Dots
F.14.2.1 Biological Applications
F.14.2.2 Quantum Computation Applications
F.14.2.3 Photovoltaics
F.14.2.4 Light Emitting Devices Applications
F.14.3 Quantum Wells and Superlattices
F.14.4 NASA's Research into Quantum Dots for Solar Cells
F.14.5 'Rainbow' Solar Cells
F.14.6 Conclusion
F.15 Quantum Well Solar Cells
F.16 Silicon Foil Technology
F.17 String Ribbon Solar Cells
F.17.1 Overview
F.17.2 Impact of String Ribbon on the Pricing of Solar Cells
F.17.3 Technological Analysis
F.18 Thin Film Solar Cells
F.18.1 Overview
F.18.2 Types of Thin Film Solar Cells
F.18.2.1 Amorphous Silicon
F.18.2.2 Cadmium Telluride
F.18.2.3 Copper Indium Gallium Selenide
F.18.2.4 Dye-sensitized Solar Cell
F.18.2.5 Organic Solar Cell
F.18.2.6 Thin-film Silicon
F.18.3 Efficiency Factor and Price of Thin Film Solar Cells
F.18.3.1 Production Method
F.18.4 Dye-Sensitized Thin Film Solar Cells
F.18.5 Nanotechnology and Thin Film Solar Cells

G. Incentives for Solar Power in the US
G.1 Introduction
G.2 Federal Tax Credits
G.3 Feed-in Tariff
G.4 Solar America Initiative
G.5 State-level Incentives
G.6 Solar Renewable Energy Certificates

H. Solar Power Market Analysis by State
H.1 Arizona
H.2 California
H.3 Hawaii
H.4 Nevada
H.5 New Jersey
H.6 New Mexico
H.7 Oregon

I. Federal/State Programs Promoting Solar Power
I.1 205 Kilowatt (kW) Installation
I.2 California Solar Initiative
I.3 Open PV Mapping Project
I.4 Solar America Initiative
I.5 Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)
I.6 US DOE SunShot Initiative
I.6.1 Overview
I.6.2 Photovoltaics
I.6.3 Concentrating Solar Power
I.6.4 Systems Integration
I.6.5 Market Transformation
I.7 US DOE Solar Decathlon
I.8 Utility Solar Water Heating Initiative

J. Investor Know-How about US Solar Power Industry

K. Solar Thermal Power Plants in the US
K.1 Blythe Solar Power Project
K.2 Calico Solar Energy Project
K.3 Fort Irwin
K.4 Ivanpah Solar Power Facility
K.5 Keahole Solar Power
K.6 Kimberlina Solar Thermal Energy Plant
K.7 Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center
K.8 Mojave Solar Park
K.9 Nevada Solar One
K.10 Saguaro Solar Power Station
K.11 Sierra SunTower
K.12 Solana Generating Station
K.12 Solar Energy Generating Systems
K.14 The Solar Project
K.14.1 Solar One
K.14.2 Solar Two
K.14.2 Solar Tres

L. Solar Power in the US: Market Outlook

M. Major Players in the US Solar Power Market
M.1 Abound Solar
M.2 Aleo Solar
M.3 Amonix Incorporated
M.4 Antec Solar GmbH
M.5 Applied Solar, Inc
M.6 Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc
M.7 ASE Americas, Inc
M.8 AstroPower Inc
M.9 Atlantis Energy Systems
M.10 AVANCIS
M.11 Bosch Solar Energy
M.12 Calyxo GMBH
M.13 China Solar Energy Holdings
M.14 Citizenre
M.15 Cyrium Technologies
M.16 DayStar Technologies, Inc.
M.17 EIQ Energy, Inc
M.18 Energy Conversion Devices, Inc
M.19 Entech Solar
M.20 EPV Solar
M.21 Ertex Solar
M.22 Evergreen Solar, Inc
M.23 Ever-Q
M.24 First Solar, Inc
M.25 Global Solar
M.26 Green Energy Technologies
M.27 GT Advanced Technologies Inc
M.28 Greenshine New Energy
M.29 HelioGrid
M.30 HelioVolt
M.31 Honda Soltec
M.32 International Solar Electric Technology
M.33 Inventux Technologies AG
M.34 JA Solar Holdings
M.35 Johanna Solar
M.36 Kaneka Solartech
M.37 Konarka Technologies, Inc.
M.38 Kyocera Solar
M.39 LDK Solar Co, LTD
M.40 Miasolé
M.41 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
M.42 Moser Baer
M.43 Nanosolar
M.44 Nexpower
M.45 Odersun AG
M.46 Phoenix Solar AG
M.47 Photowatt International
M.48 Polar PV
M.49 PowerFilm, Inc.
M.50 PrimeStar Solar
M.51 Pyron Solar
M.52 Q-Cells
M.53 QS Solar
M.54 Quantum PV
M.55 QuNano
M.56 REC Solar
M.57 Sharp Solar
M.58 Shell Solar Industries
M.59 Siemens Solar
M.60 SkyFuel
M.61 Skyline Solar
M.62 Solar Electric Power Company
M.63 SoloPower
M.64 SolarWorld, AG
M.65 Solyndra
M.66 Sol Voltaics
M.67 Solterra Renewable Technologies Inc
M.68 Spectrolab, Inc.
M.69 Spire Corporation
M.70 SunPower Corporation
M.71 Sunetric
M.72 Sungevity
M.73 Suntech Power
M.74 TerraSolar, Inc.
M.75 Trina Solar, Ltd
M.76 Voxtel
M.77 Würth Solar

N. Appendix
N.1 PEST Framework Analysis: Global Solar Photovoltaic Industry
N.1.1 Political Aspects
N.1.2 Economic Aspects
N.1.3 Social Aspects
N.1.4 Technological Aspects

O. Glossary of Terms