Program Optimization

Program Optimization

As incentive programs for renewable energy systems have proliferated, utilities and energy agencies have relied on Clean Power Research to quantify the value PV and design incentive programs that meet energy, economic and environmental goals. Research on program optimization provides guidelines on PV incentive design and the role of incentives in transforming markets.
Inferring PV system specifications from net loads and reconstructing gross loads
 |  October 2022

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that residential PV systems accounted for 61 percent of total...

Inferring PV system specifications from net load
+  |  June 2022

The increasing penetration of grid-connected solar photovoltaics has challenged the existing method of planning and...

Sunrun and Clean Power Research receive U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Award to develop first solar permitting and interconnection software application for installers
 |  November 2015

New Software Will Reduce Time and Costs of Going Solar and Improve Customer Satisfaction SAN FRANCISCO – November 16,...

Clean Power Research Takes on Solar Soft Costs and PV Fleet Integration with $1.5 million in SunShot Initiative Awards
 |  October 2013

New software services will help utilities cost-effectively manage interconnection, better engage solar customers, and...

Photovoltaic Incentive Design Handbook
+  |  June 2012

This handbook will help agencies and utilities select, design, and implement incentive programs that best meet...

Market Transformation Benefits of a PV Incentive Program
+  |  May 2010

Real-life example of the economics of implementing a PV incentive program Download PDF >>>

Expected Performance Based Buydown (EPBB) Incentive Structure: Rationale & Implications
 |  May 2006

Rationale for using an up-front incentive payment structure Download PDF >>>

Economic Benefits of Performance-Based Incentives
 |  July 2004

Compares the economic consequences of performance-based and buy-down PV incentives Download PDF >>>

Blog

Gain better solar resource insight and operational alignment with new SolarAnywhere® 5-minute real-time data
Aug 27, 2025
Gain better solar resource insight and operational alignment with new SolarAnywhere® 5-minute real-time data

This week, we’re pleased to present a guest post from GroundWork® Renewables’ Director of Data and Analytics Julie Chard. At GroundWork, we’re committed to delivering high-quality solar-meteorological (MET) data to reduce uncertainty in solar resource assessments. With more than 15 years of experience supporting the solar development community, our observational MET programs combine best-in-class equipment and […]

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2025 to date: milestones, innovations and customer stories
Jul 30, 2025
2025 to date: milestones, innovations and customer stories

In the time since my New Year’s blog in January, national attention has shifted to Congress and the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” While the renewable energy industry continues to digest the bill’s implications, the Clean Power Research® team has been hard...

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Beyond TMY: Unlocking solar potential in Northern regions with high latitude time-series data
Jul 30, 2025
Beyond TMY: Unlocking solar potential in Northern regions with high latitude time-series data

This week, we’re pleased to present a guest post from GroundWork® Renewables’ Director of Data and Analytics Julie Chard. At GroundWork, we’re committed to delivering high-quality solar-meteorological (MET) data to reduce uncertainty in solar resource assessments. With more than 15 years of experience supporting the solar development community, our observational MET programs combine best-in-class equipment and […]

Read More5