We may be 21st worldwide in science education, but the United States has regained its rightful place as the No. 1 installer of solar in the world (at least for 2013).
GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released U.S. Solar Market Insight: 3rd Quarter 2013, the definitive analysis of solar power markets in the U.S., with strategic state-specific data for 28 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The U.S. installed 930 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) in Q3 2013, up 20% over Q2 2013 and 35% over Q3 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residential PV installations. Even more importantly, 2013 is likely to be the first time in more than 15 years that the United States installs more solar capacity than world leader Germany, according to GTM Research forecasts.
Source: U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2013
The residential market continues its rapid growth. Through Q3, residential PV installations were up 45% year-over-year, driven largely by increasingly attractive economics and by fair net metering policies. The non-residential (commercial) market has seen the most difficulty this year with installations forecasted to stay flat over last year. The utility market continues its consistently strong installation numbers and is forecasted to exceed 1 gigawatt (GW) of installations in the fourth quarter, including Abengoa’s Solana, the world’s largest parabolic trough concentrating solar power (CSP) plant with a 6-hour thermal energy storage system. This will be the first time any individual market segment has hit that mark.
Source: U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2013
At the state-level, California continues to lead the solar PV charge, installing 455 MW in Q3. North Carolina moved into the number three spot in total PV installations with 23% growth over last quarter. Other movers and shakers on the state rankings list include Nevada (moving from 17 to 5) and Vermont (from 21 to 12)
Looking at the U.S. solar market on the whole, U.S. Solar Market Insight: 3rd Quarter 2013 forecasts just over 5 GW of PV and CSP will be installed during 2013. Cumulative solar capacity has already surpassed the 10 GW mark, and by the end of the year more than 400,000 solar projects will be operating across the country.
An embargoed copy of the Executive Summary of the U.S. Solar Market Insight report and downloadable graphics are available now.
jbi says
The total Solar in the US is on the 20th place. Nice article but the total numbers are embarassing for the Nation on an internatonal level. The US has to install at least 20 times more than Germany over the next 10 years – than we are talking.
The US should also consider that Germany doesn’t allow clear cuts of forests to install PV. Consider also Germany has the size of Texas.The politics over the last 20 years in the US was focused on fossil energy and still is today.
wkisse says
I totally agree…and our politicians should be looking at your “real world” numbers!