The United States has officially exceeded this 5 million solar installationsThis is a new milestone, just eight years after the country reached one million installations in 2016 – a milestone that took 40 years to complete after the first grid-connected solar installation in 1973.
Credit: Lichtsource bp
According to data released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, more than half of all U.S. solar installations have come online since the start of 2020 and more than 25% have come online since the Inflation Reduction Act came into effect in just 20 months. past. These systems are installed in homes, businesses and large ground-mounted arrays across the country.
“Solar is growing by the millions as it consistently delivers on its promise to lower electricity costs, increase community resiliency and create economic opportunity,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of SEIA. “Today, 7% of homes in America have solar energy, and this number will grow to more than 15% of American homes by 2030. Solar energy is quickly becoming the dominant source of electricity on the grid, helping communities breathe cleaner air and live healthier lives. ”
Despite changes in state policies, market trends continue to point to significant growth in states across the country. SEIA predicts that the number of solar installations in the US will double to 10 million by 2030 and triple to 15 million by 2034.
The residential sector accounts for 97% of all solar installations in the US. This sector has set annual installation records for five consecutive years and ten of the past twelve years.
Today, more than 100,000 systems are installed in eleven U.S. states and territories.
California leads the nation with 2 million solar installations, but recent policy decisions in the state have hurt the rooftop solar market. Several other states are seeing rapid growth. Illinois was an emerging market with only 2,500 solar installations in 2017, and today the state is home to more than 87,000 solar energy systems. Florida is another market experiencing substantial growth, from 22,000 installations in 2017 to 235,000 installations today.
By 2030, 22 states or territories are expected to have more than 100,000 solar installations. The United States now has enough solar installations to cover every residential roof in the four corner states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.
News item from SEIA