INSTALLER COSTS NOW KEY TO SUN

Downstream Investments Now Supporting Photovoltaic Installer Innovation
27 Janauary 2012 (Solar Industry)

"With the solar energy industry maturing rapidly and expanding to newer markets, the focus of innovation and investment has shifted from panels to installations - the final critical step for monetization…[Start-ups raised over $1 billion, with SolarCity, SunRun, Recurrent Energy, SunEdison and Solar Power Partners leading the way]…

"A flurry of mergers and acquisitions activity and an influx of venture capital dollars to solar service providers have led to innovation concentrated on creating new, lean business models in an extremely fragmented downstream landscape…SolarCity dominates among residential installers…[C]ompanies are partnering with SunRun, adding muscle to SolarCity's biggest competitor. The Alteris-Real Goods Solar merger in December has added a stronger player to the market."

From solarcity100 via YouTube

"…Commercial- and utility-scale solar have few up-and-coming players. Tioga Energy and Enfinity lead the group of new large-scale developers. The acquisitions of Recurrent Energy, SunEdison and Solar Power Partners led to concentration of large-scale development in the hands of larger companies or vertically integrated suppliers First Solar and SunPower.

"New entrants keep popping up on the back of venture dollars…A burst of entrepreneurial activity, driven by venture capital, is ensuring a steady stream of high-potential start-ups. In 2011, six solar installers were among Inc. Magazine's top 50 fastest-growing companies in the U.S., including Greenspring Energy, re2g, SunDurance Energy, OnForce Solar and FLS Energy."