It seems as though the climate is ripe for the growing solar energy market in the US as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has ignited and renewed solar energy projects across the country. This has been underscored by Venture Capital rising exponentially during the second half of 2009 resulting in more than $576 million pumped into solar energy deals, providing further evidence of a climate of new growth and prosperity for the solar industry.

There have been some problems, however, that are inextricably linked to the continuing global economic crisis which has resulted in a number of deals, projects and developing technologies that were on the brink of breaking through in 2008 falling short on expectations. Also, those deals and projects that were penciled in for investment before the economy tanked are now facing a climate of reduced financing and investment and are facing stringent cutbacks, resulting in the possible scaling back of many ambitions. Additionally, despite the fact that a certain amount of stimulus cash that was earmarked for the solar industry has indeed been pumped in some are now questioning – given the continuing economic climate of uncertainty – whether or not government money should be financing renewable projects at all. As a result some lenders have become edgy regarding the possibility of imposed penalties for tanked projects as well as the actual application process for funds also facing a slowdown, which will also affect the potential success of such projects.

Facing these challenges head on, New Solar Today has conceived and organized the 3rd “Solar Energy Investment and Finance Summit USA”, to be held in San Francisco from May 4th-5th. The previous event held last November was a resounding success, and this year’s summit will be looking to address such key questions such as how to meet government requirements in order to receive stimulus funding, how to invest in solar energy, and how various global projects navigated to tricky waters of private and public funding in order to help finance their solar energy projects. Many of the case studies developed over the past year in particular will form the corner stone of the 2010 summit, and the gathering aims to feature examples of successful partnerships and various forms of funding in order to encourage further development in the solar energy sector.

The summit is already generating a great deal of interest, not the least of all because of some of the speakers that have already agreed to attend – including those from such giants as JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, the US Treasury Department and the US Department of Energy along with many more top level investors, developers, industry experts and utility companies. With such an attendance hopes are high that the problems of the recession that have impaired the industry’s growth can be successfully surmounted, leading to a bright future for solar energy in the US and hopefully stimulate further foreign interest in additional to domestic developments already underway.