Solar is Hopping

The new German government has launched a 100,000 solar rooftop program that is expected to create a market for some 500 MW of photovoltaic modules – valued in the billions of dollars over the next few years – almost four times greater than the entire world’s shipments of 122 MW of solar cells in 1997.

In the U.S., the Department of Energy is making an additional $900,000 available nationally to fund the Million Solar Roofs Project (solar energy on 1 million buildings by 2010). About $90,000 will initially be granted in the New England region. Vermont pledged to add 1,000 solar energy systems to roofs around the state.