Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020 - 60

BUSINESSINSIGHTS | SOLUTIONS FOR THE A/E INDUSTRY

Economic Slowdown Halts Fast Growth of Solar

efore the COVID-19 pandemic, renewable energy
technologies-specifically solar-were on track to
continue a trajectory of rapid growth and be the leading
source of electricity generation through 2050, according
to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
However, momentum has significantly slowed due to the
economic failure that has resulted in supply chain delays,
tightening of tax equity markets, and permitting challenges,
according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
The setback is expected to negate five years of solar industry
growth, pushing the sector's employment levels back to what
they were in 2014, resulting in a decline of 38 percent from prepandemic forecasts, according to SEIA.
The U.S. is now expected to install just 3 gigawatts of solar
capacity in Q2 2020, a decline of 37 percent from pre-COVID
forecasts, according to SEIA. Through the first half of 2020,
the losses in U.S. solar deployment due to COVID-19 are
equivalent to powering 303,000 homes and $3.4 billion in
economic investment.
The impact is expected to be greatest in the northeastern
states of Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania, as well as the northwestern states of Idaho and
Washington, according to SEIA.

Renewable electricity generation, including end use
(AEO2020 Reference case)
billion kilowatt hours

solar
wind
geothermal
hydroelectric
other

2019

2,500

History Projections

2,000
48%

1,500
1,000
500
0

15%
38%

37%

33%
14%

2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

3%
5%

LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Registration is now open for Class 5 of ACEC's mid-career
leadership development program, Pathways to Executive
Leadership, beginning Oct. 27-29, 2020, in San Diego. Sessions
prepare participants for new leadership roles by teaching them
how to explore personal mastery, recognize industry trends, and
build long-term client relationships.
In addition to coursework, participants have the opportunity
to connect with a trusted, national network of colleagues from
which to draw best practices as well as exchange knowledge. The
six-month hybrid program consists of two in-person seminars
and three virtual learning sessions tailored to those transitioning
to managing teams and other managers.
For more information, visit the ACEC website or contact
Katie Goodman, director of leadership programs, at 202-6824332 or e-mail kgoodman@acec.org. Registration is limited.
RESCUE, REBUILD, RECOVER

ACEC has launched free, virtual education under the Rescue,
Rebuild, Recover campaign. The series features over 30
roundtables, webinars, and tools to help firms succeed in a new
business environment
and remain resilient in an
uncertain economy. The
one-hour presentations
also provide insight on
how businesses can prepare
offices and operations for when stay-at-home orders have been
fully lifted.
Recent presentations have focused on reducing risk for
employees upon returning to the office, positioning firms for
growth, and viewpoints from experts on the post-pandemic
economy, housing, and commercial real estate markets.
ACEC members receive full complimentary and on-demand
access to the series through the Bookstore or the Coronavirus
Resource Center on the ACEC website at www.acec.org. ■

FOR MORE BUSINESS INSIGHTS
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Better Business Planning
Factoring Executive Compensation
Cyberattacks and Data Security
High-Impact Proposal Writing

Go to: https://education.acec.org/diweb/catalog

ENGINEERING INC.

SPRING 2020

ACEC's Business Resources and Education Department
provides comprehensive and online-accessible business
management education.
Visit ACEC's online educational events calendar at
https://www.acec.org/education/online-classes/ or
call 202-347-7474, ext. 349, for further information.

https://programs.acec.org/2020-pathways/ https://programs.acec.org/2020-pathways/ https://programs.acec.org/2020-pathways/ https://programs.acec.org/rescuerecoverrebuild/ http://www.acec.org https://www.acec.org/education/online-classes/ https://education.acec.org/diweb/catalog

Engineering Inc. - Spring 2020

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