By Sean Wolfe | Renewable Energy World
The United States has officially exceeded five million solar installations, just eight years after reaching one million installations in 2016 — a milestone that took 40 years to achieve following the first grid-connected solar installation in 1973.
According to data released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, over half of all U.S. solar installations have come online since the start of 2020 and over 25% have come online since the Inflation Reduction Act became law just 20 months ago. These systems are installed on homes, businesses, and in large ground-mounted arrays across the country.
“Solar is scaling by the millions because it consistently delivers on its promise to lower electricity costs, boost community resilience, and create economic opportunities,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Today 7% of homes in America have solar, and this number will grow to over 15% of U.S. homes by 2030. Solar is quickly becoming the dominant source of electricity on the grid, allowing communities to breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives.”
“People love rooftop solar because it represents freedom and choice in an energy sector otherwise dominated by monopolies. 5 million solar installations nationwide is a huge accomplishment for a disruptive technology that has had to fight against entrenched monopoly interests every step of the way. In fact, even as more and more people adopt rooftop solar and generate a little of their own energy, the monopolies here in Arizona and around the country continue to try and stop their customers from having choices with crazy taxes and difficult policies all aimed at stopping rooftop solar. While these fights shouldn’t happen, they continue as people continue to want more and more freedom from the monopoly.”
-Court Rich, Rose Law Group co-founder and director of the firm’s Renewable Energy and Utility Infrastructure Department
