The Solar Potential: Evaluation Solar Energy Policies in the United States

Abstract

Renewable resources have become the focal point of national policy frameworks across the globe. In an effort to combat climate change and air pollution, nations have turned their interest to solar renewable energy to replace fossil fuels. Solar energy has become one of the fastest growing and highest used renewable energy sources, and it continues to grow as new technology is applied along with new thorough research. Of the leading nations, the United States has quickly taken up adapting solar into its energy policy framework. The federal government has implemented many policies to help get the growth of the solar industry off the ground, of which they created the Federal Investment Tax Credit. The FITC was, and still is, an instrumental part of promoting the residential and commercial solar sectors. Along with the FITC, general policies include Net Energy Metering, Solar Leasing, Solar Power Purchase Agreements, Renewable Portfolio Standards, and Renewable Energy Credits. In order to further understand the importance of solar policies in this thesis, I focus my attention on three states: California, New Jersey, and New York. Each one of these states provide a different view and interpretation of how policies can impact the status of state level solar industries. Throughout the thesis, I aim to make the connections that these policies, both federal and states, are the key factors that separate the U.S solar industry from that of the global solar industry.