A real boom for solar PV in the United States

Investment within Venture Capital in solar photovoltaïc in the United States reached one billion Dollars in 2007. This almost represents a ten-fold increase compared to 2005.

Greentech Media proposes for $600 a full report on the importance this energy source has in venture capital (VC) today and will have in 2009.

The least I can say after reading the executive summary is that solar might be the next big thing in business as the market is growing by 35 percent a year.

According to the presentation of the report :

VC investment in the solar industry has gone from a few deals in 2004 to more than $1B in 2007. This phenomenal investment growth is spurring innovation and efficiency in every sector of the booming $18B solar industry.

We are seeing a VC-funded entrepreneurial wave get the attention of incumbent solar vendors, private equity investors, government, and even reach the public consciousness at the consumer level.

This Greentech Intelligence Report tracks and analyzes VC investment in solar with an eye towards the future.

We look at the trajectories of the current start-up crop, profile an aspirant in each solar sector, and interview as well as poll a number of leading solar VC investors (most of whom have plans for further solar investments in 2007 and 2008).

VC Investment in Solar: 2005-2009 takes a close look at the investments and investors in the solar power market – a market growing at 35% per year and expected to do so for the next five years.

A look at the graph below clearly reinforces the exponential aspect of the VC investments in solar :

One thing that comforts me in thinking that solar might become the next big thing is California, known for its Silicon Valley, which has been working extensively in renewable energies and especially solar.

Last time this US state worked heavily in something it was the Information Technology and the Internet. Will solar PV have such a boom worldwide ?

I previously wrote an article on the fact that Google is planning to invest hundred of million Dollars in the very next years. The goal is to make solar, geothermal and wind energies price-competitive with electricity from coal-fired plants.

Via Ecogeek.com

Post Script : I edited on February 3rd my introduction to better reflect what is the topic of the article as I wasn’t entirely satisfied with it…