United States Has Record Solar Installations in 2013

According to a new report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, more American homes installed solar panels in the third quarter of this year than ever before, with 52 percent more going on line than in the same period last year.

According to the report:

• 31,000 American homes installed solar panels in the third quarter.
• Overall, the U.S. installed 930 megawatts worth of solar panels, up 35 percent from the same time last year. 
• Solar is the second-largest source of new electricity capacity in the U.S. this year, trailing only natural gas.
• There is now enough solar capacity in the U.S. — 10,250 megawatts — to power 1.7 million average American homes.
• Rapidly falling prices could be a reason for the spread of solar power to homes, as costs fell 9.7 percent from last year.

The residential sector is still a small proportion of the overall solar market but has the strongest growth.

California continues to have the most installations, benefitting from a 10-year $2.167 billion program of incentives begun by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in 2006.

North Carolina moved into the No. 3 spot, after Arizona. In 2007, North Carolina became the first state in the southeast to adopt a renewable energy standard, requiring utilities to get 12.5 percent of their energy from renewables. (The Hill, 12/10/2013)