Come hear solar industry experts explain what to expect in the solar market in 2013. Will the industry stagnate or grow exponentially? Will manufacturers continue to fold and be acquired or will the market regain some stability? Who will emerge as a leader? What will China do this year? How will the roles of utilities change in the evolving solar marketplace?

Solar Power in 2013: The Winter of our Discontent or the Summer of our Glory?

January 17, 2013
2:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM CST / 11:00 AM PST / 7:00 PM GMT

Come hear solar industry experts explain what to expect in the solar market in 2013.  Will the industry stagnate or grow exponentially? Will manufacturers continue to fold and be acquired or will the market regain some stability? Who will emerge as a leader? What will China do this year? How will the roles of utilities change in the evolving solar marketplace?

All your questions will be answered in this webcast led by some of the top names in the solar industry – SVP Market Research’s Paula Mints, SDG&E’s Matt Burkhart; Ardour Capital’s Robert Lahey; and SEPA’s Julia Hamm will come together to talk about the industry’s most pressing issues as we look ahead at the new year.

The webcast will include a short presentation period followed by a longer Q&A. Join us in this FREE webcast moderated by RenewableEnergyWorld.com’s Jennifer Runyon.


Presenters' biographies:

Paula Mints

Paula Mints is the Founder and Chief Market Research Analyst of Solar PV Market Research.  SPV operates in partnership with Strategies Unlimited to bring high quality solar market research products to its clients.  Ms. Mints began her solar market research career in 1998 with Strategies Unlimited.  In 2005 she left Strategies Unlimited for Navigant where she continued her practice until October 2012, when she founded SPV Market Research.

Ms. Mints provides classic market research products based on primary research and focused on the supply and demand sides of the solar industry and its technologies.  She publishes often with Renewable Energy World and Renewable Energy Focus.  Recently her chapter, Overview of Photovoltaic Production, Markets and Perspectives, was published in the Fraunhofer/Elsevier book Advances in Photovoltaics Volume 1, edited by Dr. Gerhard Willeke and Dr. Eicke Weber. In 2012, Ms. Mints spoke at several conferences, including the IEEE PVSC and EU PVSEC, where she presented her work on photovoltaic technology pricing.  She is currently working on a book for Artech House titled Future Photovoltaic Technology Development and Market Direction.

In 2013, Ms. Mints' firm, SPV Market Research, and Strategies Unlimited will publish several reports on the global solar industry, its markets and technologies.

Matt Burkhart

Mr. Burkhart is Vice President, Electric & Fuel Procurement at San Diego Gas and Electric Company.   In that role, Matt is responsible for all aspects of acquiring power and capacity to serve the utility’s bundled ratepayers.  This includes long-term contracting for the company to reach its 20% /25%/33% RPS mandate, as well as procurement of conventional resources.  The department also does economic dispatch of power plants, trading, risk control and settlements.   

Prior to Procurement, he was VP of Internal Audit at Sempra Energy, SDG&E’s parent company, and head of Planning & Development for Sempra Global (the holding company for businesses outside of the California utilities) where he handled investment analysis, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Burkhart received his BA in Economics and Russian Studies from Claremont McKenna College and his Masters in Economics from Harvard University.  Before joining Sempra in 1999, Mr. Burkhart consulted to major oil and utility companies as part of the energy and chemicals practice of management consulting firm Booz-Allen & Hamilton, and worked at Unocal Corporation in a variety of commercial and finance-related positions.

Robert Lahey

Robert Lahey is Vice President in the investment banking division of Ardour Capital Investments LLC. Founded in 2002, Ardour Capital is a research and investment-banking firm focused exclusively on cleantech. Previously, he spent three years in the research department of Ardour as an equities analyst covering solar companies, and as a legislative analyst focused on US energy policy. Robert is a frequent contributor to various industry publications and has been interviewed on television channels including CNBC and BNN. He holds a BBA from George Washington University, a JD from New York Law School, and an MBA from Fordham University. 

Julia Hamm

Julia Hamm is the president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), an educational non-profit organization dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios. With more than 1,000 utility and solar industry members, SEPA provides unbiased utility solar market intelligence, up-to-date information about technologies and business models, and peer-to-peer interaction. Julia has strong relationships with individuals at utilities and solar companies worldwide, and is an expert on topics including utility solar programs and market trends.  Prior to leading SEPA, Julia worked as a senior associate at ICF International where she supported the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with implementation of its ENERGY STAR program.  She has been named one of the Top 10 Women in Cleantech by earth2tech, and she holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Management from Cornell University.  She lives with her husband and two children in a PV-powered energy efficient home that is certified by the Arlington County Green Home Choice Program in Northern Virginia.