California Becomes First US State To Surpass 10,000 MW Solar Mark
A new combined report has revealed California as the first US state to surpass the 10,000 MW of installed solar capacity mark.
The latest US Solar Market Insight Report published by GTM Research in conjunction with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) showed that California now has more solar assets installed than each of the nations of the UK, France, Spain, Australia, and Belgium.
California surpassed the figure in the first quarter of this year by installing 718 MW of solar energy, raising the state’s total to 10,649 MW, with big gains across each of the solar sectors: 231 MW were developed in the residential sector, 88 MW in commercial, and 399 MW in utility scale.
“When it comes to creating clean energy jobs and protecting the environment, California is showing the world how to get the job done,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “To put the state’s remarkable progress in some context, today California has 10 times more installed solar capacity than the entire nation had in 2007. We congratulate Governor Brown, his administration, legislative leaders and the people of California for being at the forefront of America’s efforts to create a vibrant and growing clean energy economy.”
Trailing well behind California were Nevada, which installed 97 MW of solar PV, and New York with 59 MW.
Despite the non-residential and utility solar markets both encountering traditional first quarter fatigue, the residential market did not suffer from any such downward trend, and in fact increased 11% over Q4’2014 to have its largest quarter ever.
The SEIA is anticipating “another record year for Solar in the US in every market segment” with the non-residential market set to pick up in California and New York particularly.
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