It is clear after the first day of Solar Power International 2011 that there’s still lots of interest (and confusion) surrounding entry into the US market. Many companies—European, Asian, and even American—are looking to move into new markets or expand their existing presence. We’ve talked with several people about how to determine the best strategy for success in the US, including which segments to target, which states are going to be hot, and what kind of pricing they need to be competitive.

First off, it is important to remember that, although the US is only one country, there’s not really one overall US solar market. There are, in fact, overlapping federal, state, and even utility policies in many areas, but the US market is far more fragmented by state than traditional European markets or emerging Asian markets, which have tended to rely on just a few centrally managed government incentive programs. A company must understand their strengths before navigating the geographic diversification of markets in the US.

We’ve had very detailed conversations with various companies and explained how our research can show demand by segments, internal rates of return from specific system types, cost of PV energy, and even sortable policy trackers. Also, our ever-expanding United States Deal Tracker provides insights into project-by-project pricing, showing where the activity is and who is participating.