Past is Prologue: Market Selection Strategy in a New Solar Policy Environment

While 2011 was a boom year for solar installations in key markets like Germany and Italy, 2012 quickly became the year of tempered expectations, as module and balance-of-systems prices crashed, and feed-in tariffs were cut in kind. Moving into 2013, the solar industry finds itself at a pivot point, where it must adjust and thrive in a cost-conscious environment and leverage new policies to its advantage. As feed-in tariffs fade in favor of renewable portfolio standards and net metering schemes, suppliers and stakeholders are tasked with redefining target market strategy. In this report, we shed a light on the future of solar policy, and provide guidance on prosperous short- and long-term markets for solar stakeholders. While some historically strong demand markets will continue to pay dividends, the real winners going forward will need to make a few well-informed bets.