The Next Stage for Solar in North America

We’ve come to the next age of solar deployment. The US has just crossed the 100 GW mark of cumulative PV capacity and 39% of all new US power generation capacity in 2021 will come from solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Delivering on its campaign promise, the new government has put its full weight behind the clean energy transition. Now growing at a higher level than any other technology, solar has evolved from being a minority player in the energy sector to being the driving force for new generation and employment opportunities. As the overall capacity, plant lifespans and portfolio sizes continue to grow, many of the industry’s well-known issues become magnified, and new challenges arise that need to be met head-on.

The heavy rollout of solar portfolios comes with a fair share of challenges to safeguard value over their lifetimes. Insurability, underperformance, plant health, component selection, repairs & repowering, storage coupling, as well as dealing with increasing amounts of extreme weather conditions are just the tip of the (rapidly melting) iceberg. These challenges are important themes in this year’s program of Solar Asset Management North America. Throughout the sessions of the two-day conference, there will be a focus on value-based decision-making in O&M and asset management, optimization of operations, and minimization of technical and financial risks. This year, another key theme is the facilitation of a holistic and fair transition as an industry, with conversations on societal impact, circularity, supply chains and diversity & inclusion in the solar industry.

Solar Asset Management North America will gather a crowd of over 500 solar industry professionals with purchasing power and decision-making positions. Focusing on the operational phase of solar, the conference unites IPPs, utilities, investors, O&M experts, asset managers, solution providers and manufacturers. Additionally, with the increasing focus on including asset management considerations in the project development phase, a growing number of developers and EPCs are joining in on the conversation as well. Through a dedicated networking app, participants will be able to (pre-)schedule personal 1-on-1 meetings to connect with essential business partners during the conference.