The capitalist case for solar power

This paper examines the recent past and potential future of photovoltaic (PV) solar in terms of how it has compared with traditional generation and how, even without government subsidies, solar utility scale projects will reach a price per KWh that will be at - or less than - traditional generation, possibly as soon as 2014.

Now is the time for traditional conservative thinking to re-examine the facts about solar energy and explore its potential for not only delivering more efficient and less costly power, but also for creating jobs and opportunities that jump-start economic growth.

This jump-start would be possible because electricity drives almost every part of the economy, and cheap abundant electricity helps keep industry competitive.

The paper outlines the U.S. solar energy industry’s trajectory toward grid parity, offers the financial community a solid rationale for investing in solar as a “power partner” for generating cost-effective, peak generation energy, and documents the solar industry’s strength even without government subsidies.


About the authors:
Michael Gorton, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Principal Solar, is an entrepreneur, mentor and company builder, applying proven strategies in the fields of renewable energy, telecommunications, music and healthcare. Drawing on his extensive business expertise, scientific education and training, Michael serves as a strong voice and proponent of solar power. Over the past two years, Gorton has become a prolific author of white papers and articles in solar and renewable energy. Gorton has earned degrees in engineering from Texas Tech, a Master of physics from the University of Texas and a jurisdoctorate in law from Texas Wesleyan University.

Dan Bedell, EVP Corporate Development Principal Solar, Dan Bedell co-founded Capstone Solar, a think tank for solar professionals to exchange ideas on policy & technology and a platform for peer to peer branding, micro-networking and interactive solar webinars. Dan previously worked on M&A in the global materials industry, integrating newly acquired businesses into a standard corporate footprint at Lehigh Hanson, Inc. Prior to that, Dan was COO and Director of Business Development for a Dallas-area construction company that was an early entrant into the "green" building market and the rooftop solar installation market. He now brings that same passion for the inevitable mainstream adoption of solar power to Principal Solar. Dan holds his B.B.A. in Economics from the University of North Texas where he graduated cum laude and spent a semester studying international finance in the UK.

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Architecting the smart grid for security

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