Distributed generation isn’t just about wind energy. Every community has different resources available that can be harnessed to decrease its dependence on fossil fuels. Every year, for instance, solar energy is becoming a more and more viable source of renewable energy.

Solar power has been around for a long time, but historically it has been seen as too expensive to be practical. Those days are over, though. By 2020, the cost of solar power will have fallen to less than 20 percent of the price in 1980.

The lower price of solar power comes from both lower upfront costs and lower operating costs. Capital costs fell rapidly for two types of photovoltaic systems between 1980 and today. For another type of system — Crystal Silicon systems — capital costs are projected to keep falling for the next decade.

At the same time that capital costs have declined, PV systems have become more efficient, leading to more money saved on operating costs.

Is your community looking to develop a community-scale distributed generation project to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels? These days, a solar-powered project is definitely a viable option.

[Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy]

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