A Market Assessment of Residential Grid-Tied PV Systems in Colorado: Executive Summary

Technical Report · Wed Sep 13 00:00:00 EDT 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/765089· OSTI ID:765089

Farhar, B; Coburn, T

This is the Executive Summary of a report that presents research done in response to a decision by the Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Conservation and Management (OEC) and Colorado utility companies to consider making residential grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) systems available in Colorado. The idea was to locate homeowners willing to pay the costs of grid-tied PV (GPV) systems without batteries--$8,000 or $12,000 for a 2- or 3-kilowatt (kW) system, respectively, in 1996. These costs represented two-thirds of the actual installed cost of $6 per watt at that time and assumed the remainder would be subsidized. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and OEC partnered to conduct a market assessment for GPV technology in Colorado. The study encompassed both qualitative and quantitative phases. The market assessment concluded that a market for residential GPV systems exists in Colorado today. That market is substantial enough for companies to successfully market PV systems to Colorado homeowners. These homeowners appear ready to learn more, inform themselves, and actively purchase GPV systems. The present situation is highly advantageous to Colorado's institutions--primarily its state government and its utility companies, and also its homebuilders--if they are ready to move forward on GPV technology.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-99GO10337
• OSTI ID: 765089
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-550-28872
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COLORADO
DISPERSED STORAGE AND GENERATION
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY POLICY
GRID-TIED PHOTOVOLTAICS
LOAD MANAGEMENT
MARKET
MARKET ASSESSMENT
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SUPPLIES
PHOTOVOLTAICS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS