Day one of Intersolar North America focuses on state of the industry

Intersolar North America kicked off July 9 in San Francisco, and Renewable Energy World reported that the first day's presenters addressed the “titanic shift” that occurred within the solar industry over the course of the year.
This past year has seen a number of solar manufacturers go bankrupt, most notably big industry player Solyndra. The plant closures and bankruptcies spurred concern over the effectiveness of the Obama administration’s clean energy agenda, with many debating the future of the solar industry even with record growth around the world.
Tom Cheyney with Impress Labs presented on the first day of Intersolar. He acknowledged the difficulties that manufacturers have had, faced with a glut in the market and the availability of low-cost product from China, but he said that the difficulties are a natural part of the industry's maturation.
“There’s a word for it. It’s called carnage,” he said of the closures, adding, “And that goes for any industry with growth like solar.”
Two of the first presenters at the conference, Chase Weir of Distributed Sun and Sanjay Shrestha of Lazard Capital, maintained that the future of solar is bright, and that in order to realize the full potential of solar power, there is a necessary attitude shift and a need for a re-examination of market mechanisms. Weir pointed to the need for more access to capital and fewer major manufacturers.
Intersolar North America continues with the conference through July 12, with exhibitions beginning July 10. The goal of INA is to provide a forum that will allow insight into the North American solar market, gathering companies from around the globe to share their knowledge and experiences in an effort to fuel the implementation of this green energy source.