Determinants of Solar Energy Generation in the Commercial, Industrial, and Utility Sectors of the United States
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Advisor
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Haverford College. Department of Economics
Type
Thesis
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
eng
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Haverford users only
Terms of Use
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
This thesis explores the effects that several physical, financial, and political factors have on solar energy generation across the commercial, industrial, and utility sectors of the United States economy. In particular, it sets out to determine whether state policy incentives—net metering, cash incentives, and income tax credits to be exact—have a substantial effect on solar energy generation in those three sectors. The paper also seeks to identify other factors that drive solar generation trends, particularly in the years following the financial crisis. Using OLS, fixed effects and random effects regression analysis, 189 state-level observations were analyzed over the course of a 5-year period, 2010-2014. Findings show that cash incentives and the number of clear days in a year have significant, positive effects on solar generation, and that political party preference has a significant, negative relationship with solar generation.