Entrepreneurs aren’t waiting for world leaders gathered in Copenhagen to come up with a strategy to combat climate change. Nor are they holding their breath, hoping that lawmakers in Washington can set aside their differences on what to do about caps on greenhouse-gas restrictions.

Across the country (and, frankly, all around the world), a rush is taking place to get a leg up on businesses that are seen as benefiting the environment. One of the most attractive sectors here is the solar industry, and the game isn’t just limited to installing solar panels on rooftops.

Their efforts come as the cost of solar installations are falling, especially smaller installations. The Solar Energy Industries Association, the industry’s lobbying group, reports that costs per watt of installed solar systems have declined 30 cents per watt from 2007 through 2008.

More than 62,000 new solar-thermal and solar-electric installations were completed from 2007 through 2008, the latest period for which numbers are available. It’s likely there was some drop-off in 2009, with the economic slowdown.

And the industry will be out in force during the Copenhagen summit that begins this week, making the case that solar is a cost-effective and practical energy source that can be used to combat greenhouse gasses that cause global warming.

Chinese solar-panel makers—and China has become the largest maker of panels—are particularly optimistic about Copenhagen. "The Copenhagen talks, from our point of view, are going to be positive," Terry Wang, Chinese panel maker Trina's chief financial officer, told AFP in an interview. "A global target for emissions cuts would have a positive impact across all 20 countries we sell to."

But there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence of a renewed emphasis on solar around the country and the world, whatever happens in Copenhagen.

From the Sun to a Satellite to Earth

In California, Pacific Gas & Electric is teaming up with a Manhattan Beach startup, Solaren Corp., on a scheme to launch a satellite that will beam solar-powered electricity back to a station on earth—in Fresno, to be exact. As "out there" as it sounds, it’s plausible enough that the California Public Utilities Commission has given its blessing, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.

Solaren anticipates generating 1,700 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year through a 15-year contract with PG&E beginning in 2016. First, a ground-based receiving station must be built in Fresno and a satellite launched into space.

Space-based solar power has been researched for decades in the United States, but the nation doesn’t own that market. The Japanese government announced plans this summer to pursue a space-based solar program.

Closer to earth, a company called Solar Land Bank isn’t even planning to directly build solar-power plants or install panels. Instead, it’s betting that companies will need land for such power plants. The Walnut Creek, California-based real estate firm is buying up land in the state and getting it permitted for solar to lease it to solar-power developers, both independent producers and utilities.

The company has options right now on about 300 acres—enough to house 50 megawatts worth of solar panels and power roughly 1,500 homes—and is actively raising a $5 million to $10 million fund to acquire more land in California.

The timing is good, the San Francisco Business Times reports.