SEIA has earned numerous awards for its work and company culture and was named The association was named a Top Workplace for two years in a row by the Washington Post and earned a Best Nonprofit to Work For award by the Nonprofit Times As Congress gears up to consider a tax package that will address credits for solar and storage there are no shortage of talking points about the industry that lack context and are often .. Solar energy is surging in every corner of the country helping lower utility bills and improve grid reliability in every state only three states had more than 1 gigawatt (GW) .. Follow SEIA on social media to get the latest solar and storage updates The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy SEIA works with its 1,200 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable SEIA is the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research The United States installed a record-breaking 50 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity in 2024 the largest single year of new capacity added to the grid by any energy technology in over two decades The full Solar Market Insight Report includes all the data and analysis from our Executive Summary plus incisive Solar Market Insight® is a quarterly publication of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)® and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables Sign up for the SEIA Weekly Array to get the latest solar and storage news straight to your inbox Phone 202-682-0556 Email info@seia.org With the introduction of California Assembly Bill No the solar and clean energy industries are seeing an increase in demand for expertise on how to implement and comply with California State Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (PWA) requirements Many renewable energy projects in California now must comply with the CA PWA requirements in addition to any previously applicable Inflation Reduction Act requirements The introduction of multiple requirements can add complexity to ensuring a compliant project This 2.5 hour webinar will provide practical knowledge and tools for companies to implement and document their efforts correctly for CA Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship requirements This webinar will provide a deep dive into the nuances of the requirements and highlight best practices for compliance Whether you are involved in determining prevailing wage classifications this training will provide you with useful insights and takeaways.  This event is designed to better equip HR managers on-site supervisors and others involved in their companies’ construction projects that fall under these requirements SEIA members get free access to all webinar recordings Login to the SEIA online learning center and start exploring our hundreds of webinars Nonmembers can access these recordings for a fee — A record-setting 11 gigawatts (GW) of new solar module manufacturing capacity came online in the United States during Q1 2024 the largest quarter of solar manufacturing growth.. SEIA members are invited to join this webinar on Thursday Over the last few months there have been numerous trade actions across multiple industries including reciprocal tariffs levied on over 180 countries and territories While the timeline and details of some of the new tariffs remain fluid SEIA has a long history of helping the industry navigate uncertain trade environments members-only webinar where SEIA’s supply chain and trade experts will break down the recent tariff developments that could affect the solar and storage market Our team will share insights into key scope of actions SEIA’s experts will also be available to answer your questions We encourage submitting your questions in advance so we can design a presentation that best meets your needs solar photovoltaic (PV) installations that support commercial activities at U.S The report focuses on America’s largest companies but includes available data for companies of all sizes Check out the full report for in-depth data and analysis on corporate solar adoption trends in the U.S corporations large and small have been critical to the growth and advancement of the U.S corporate procurement represents over 18% of total U.S and 20% of all installations in 2023 had a corporate offtaker These businesses are a cornerstone of renewable energy demand in the United States and are driving new deployments View the Full Report Target has maintained its position as the #1 company for on-site solar with Prologis and Amazon all maintaining their rankings from our previous 2022 report Blackstone moved up the rankings from #6 to #5 Target would be the 13th largest for on-site solar ahead of Texas and Florida the top 10 companies for on-site solar make up 1.36 GW of solar of 6.8% of total us on-site solar capacity rooftop commercial solar capacity has grown at 12% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the past five years For many companies with large brick-and-mortar locations on-site solar will continue to be a cornerstone of their energy procurement strategy Much of the growth in this space has come from historical leaders in on-site deployment These companies have a strong understanding of the development process and established relationships with solar industry partners working across a variety of project sites On-site solar remains a key part of the corporate solar procurement mix as companies with significant energy demand and aggressive climate goals continue to place on-site solar in their energy procurement strategies Enhancements to federal tax credits in 2022 have helped to mitigate some of these headwinds by helping to cover some interconnection costs and extra credit for building in areas with a historical dependance on fossil fuel Google has emerged at the top with 312 MWac of storage capacity Google has 25% more battery storage installed than the rest of the top ten combined The tech giant’s investments in large-scale storage reflect broader market trends as storage becomes an increasingly crucial element of the grid mix but also allows Google to cover more of its power needs on a real-time basis The addition of battery storage will be one of the next big waves of renewable energy procurement strategy for corporate buyers As companies start diversifying into both on-site and off-site solar projects the next big wave of renewable energy integration will be the addition of on-site and off-site batteries This allows corporations to better control their energy costs installing batteries to power microgrids at its medical centers to make them more resilient to power outages Starbucks has installed battery facilities to help power EV charging stations for its customers to use including both standalone systems and systems paired with solar becomes a larger component of the energy transition companies can continue to use these investments to provide resilience and meet their specific energy goals The top ten corporate buyers of solar currently hold a pipeline of 27.8 GWdc of solar it would total more than the cumulative capacity additions of all solar in the United States that came online in 2022 Amazon alone maintains a pipeline of 13.6 GWdc of solar in development with Meta and Google at 5.9 GWdc and 5.7 GWdc Companies are not only diversifying into both on-site and off-site solar but expanding into battery storage development and exploring novel procurement strategies to manage their energy needs As corporations continue to innovate in their energy planning through microgrids or participation as solar tax equity investors the procurement market will continue to adapt to ensure demand for carbon free power is met Commercial load growth and growing sustainability ambitions have grown the pipeline of solar investments and solar is poised to be a key energy solution for growing businesses well into the future Companies across the United States are investing in record-levels of solar and energy storage to power their operations Businesses large and small are critical to the growth of the U.S Check out some of the small businesses that are making an impact in their communities with solar and storage Blue Point is a 100% solar-powered brewery in Long Island The 217-kilowatt solar array on the roof of the brewery provides for all the building’s electricity needs and saves the company thousands on their energy bills “Becoming a solar brewery was the logical next step to fight climate change and lower our utility bills at the same time." said Nick Rosenberg Mead Orchards has always used the power of the sun to grow their business All the compressors and refrigeration we have going to keep that fruit good and fresh it’s sort of a natural step for us to move on to harnessing the sun in new ways.” said manager Joe Nuciforo Mead Orchards expects to save ~$193,000 over the life of ther solar system cooks every one of their pizzas with 100% solar power This will provide the restaurant with over 160,000 kWh of electricity and save them nearly $20,000 in utility bills every single year This allows them to power their dairy operation and produce 100 beef claves weekly while also providing electricity to the local Elberta community This helps keep the Bateman’s farm self-sufficient while keeping their electricity costs down built Florida’s largest rooftop solar project to power their spice manufacturing facility The 3,240 kW project will be able to provide the nearly 60-year-old company with 80% of their electricity needs greatly reducing costs for the manufacturer IA sees more than 60,000 hogs pass through the gates of their farm each year — and has the energy bills to match The Dorr family turned to a 595 kW solar project that now supplies 95% of the facility’s energy needs and will save them over $2.3 million during the solar array’s lifespan solar industry installed 8.6 gigawatts-direct current (GWdc) of capacity in the third quarter of 2024 increasing 21% year-over-year and declining 13% quarter-over-quarter We predict the industry will install another 10 GWdc in the fourth quarter to reach an annual total of 40.5 GWdc a slight increase from our previous projection The residential solar segment continued its downward trend which experienced a 7% quarter-over-quarter increase Installation volumes are down in most states nationwide as elevated interest rates and customer uncertainty continued to dampen demand 17% more than in Q2 and a substantial 44% more than a year ago and New York came online as we approach year-end the community solar segment installed 291 MWdc in Q3 2024 a decline of 17% quarter-over-quarter and a 12% increase year-over-year Quarterly installations were dragged down by a slower quarter in New York Utility-scale solar had yet another robust quarter increasing 44% year-over-year with 6.6 GWdc installed While there have been project delays throughout the year due to various factors we expect over 7 GWdc of utility-scale solar to come online in Q4 2024 photovoltaic (PV) solar accounted for 64% of all new electricity-generating capacity additions through Q3 of this year making solar the dominant form of new generating capacity in the U.S elections bring uncertainty to the solar market The near-term trajectory for solar deployment is unlikely to change significantly Utility-scale projects and larger commercial solar projects slated to come online in the next 2-3 years are already well underway likely with an interconnection agreement secured or having already started construction the sales and installation cycle takes at least a few quarters for residential solar and longer for commercial solar meaning that near-term volumes are unlikely to be impacted substantially by federal policy changes The Wood Mackenzie solar analyst team will be tracking potential changes from the new administration closely we’ll examine several scenarios for possible outcomes and the implications for the U.S Third-quarter installations reaffirm our expectations for over 40 GWdc of solar additions in 2024 With residential solar continuing to experience quarterly declines This forecast represents a floor for our outlook – installations will recover starting in 2025 and beyond This recovery will be driven by growth in third-party-owned systems which has picked up this year and will continue into next year Product adaptation and expected interest rate cuts will add to the growth momentum (although there is a risk that new federal policies will change Wood Mackenzie’s view on expected interest rate and inflation trends) Commercial and community solar are expected to grow 13% and 10% This projected growth is slightly higher than our prior expectations healthy third-quarter volumes boosted our outlook for the year While community solar volumes were down in New York and a handful of other major markets we’ve raised our outlook for states like Illinois and Maine that saw healthy third-quarter installations our outlook for utility-scale solar has increased slightly to 31.8 GWdc – just above 2023 volumes The pipeline for utility-scale solar remains robust but final operation dates hinge on electrical equipment delivery timelines and negotiations with EPC companies – all factors that are challenging to predict we’ve increased our outlook for the year just slightly to 40.5 GWdc Preliminary CVD rates align with industry expectations as supply chains diversify we incorporated impacts from potential new antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on imports of solar modules and cells made in Cambodia We expect these impacts to be minimal given the rapid growth of the global solar manufacturing supply chain that enables buyers to source equipment from non-tariffed countries Developers either have access to previously imported inventory growing domestic sources of equipment and non-subject thin film supply or will be importing equipment from outside the targeted countries In October (with additional updates in November) Department of Commerce (DOC) released the preliminary determinations for the CVD cases The “all others” rates (applied to any imports from companies that are not assigned a company-specific rate) range from 2.85% to 23.06% for the four countries This generally aligns with the industry’s expectations for these tariff rates And many large suppliers were assigned rates lower than the “all others” rates the DOC also released preliminary determinations for the AD cases The “all others” rates range from 18% to 271% for the four countries Some rates are in line with industry expectations while certain rates are higher Wood Mackenzie will continue to track the impacts of these cases closely the supply of key solar components continues to grow with options for buyers outside the impacted countries Industry remains on track to grow modestly over the next five years Our current outlook for the next five years has the US solar industry growing 2% per year on average The industry will install at least 43 GWdc from 2025 onward and reach a cumulative total of nearly 450 GWdc by the end of 2029 and annual installation forecasts would be higher if not for limitations facing the industry including those related to interconnection Low Q3 installations reflect the residential solar market’s continued woes the residential solar market added 1,128 MWdc Based on the first three quarters of the year total residential installed capacity fell by 33% compared to the same timeframe in 2023 Installer and financier bankruptcies this year contributed to lower installation volumes as two of the top-ranked installers from 2023 exited the market leaving sales pipelines and orphaned projects that will take time for other companies to take over Some installers report that sales this summer did not increase as significantly as in years past This can be attributed to consumers waiting for interest rates to fall and milder weather in some areas of the country Although interest rates dropped by 50 basis points in September (and by 25 basis points in November) there were no notable changes to financing rates or consumer activity Many installers also do not expect their installation volumes to grow in 2024 compared to last year Based on continued low capacity in the third quarter we have reduced our 2024 outlook further by another 9% and we now expect a 26% reduction in annual installed capacity the segment will contract significantly in 2024 as interest rate cuts occurred later in the year and were not as impactful as expected While the California residential solar market started to recover in the third quarter the state’s residential installations will still decline by approximately 40% this year There is positive momentum and cautious optimism for the residential solar market heading into 2025 While slower sales earlier in the year led to fewer installations in 2024 some installers report that sales volumes have increased in the second half which will drive recovery in 2025 as these projects are installed Wood Mackenzie expects the residential solar market to add more than 6 GWdc and grow by 21% in 2025 which include a stabilizing California market (albeit at a lower level) a burgeoning third-party ownership segment with new players and unique product offerings and a rush to qualify projects for the domestic content ITC adder We expect this recovery to continue into 2026 as the market grows by 18% the market will grow at an average annual rate of 9% between 2027-2029 slowing slightly towards the end of our outlook as market penetration approaches higher levels in some states Note on market segmentation: Commercial solar encompasses distributed solar projects with commercial This excludes community solar (covered in the following section) The commercial solar market had a record-breaking third quarter The commercial solar market had a strong third quarter an increase of 44% year-over-year and 17% quarter-over-quarter This was mostly fueled by California’s NEM 2.0 projects continuing to come online and Maine also experienced tremendous growth this quarter Developers are becoming increasingly creative in finding ways to make project economics work in their favor Rural Energy for America Program grants have gained popularity because they improve commercial solar project economics in rural America We have seen upticks in installation volumes in states such as Iowa with schools such as Brown University in Rhode Island and Emory University in Georgia installing solar on their campuses this year We have made significant adjustments to our commercial solar forecast this quarter California’s NEM 2.0 projects continue to come online but are taking longer than initially estimated we now expect commercial solar installations in California to continue growing through 2025 a decline in the state’s installations will not occur until 2026 prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements will contribute to a slowdown in 2025 Since new projects larger than 1 MWac must meet these requirements to qualify for the full tax credits many developers began construction on a significant portion of their active pipeline before requirements took effect in January 2023 Much of this pipeline will have been built by 2025 resulting in slightly reduced volumes from 2025 through 2027 The national commercial solar market will grow by 19% annually in 2028 and 18% in 2029 This growth is driven by heightened development activity particularly in the largely untapped Midwest and Southeast markets Note on market segmentation: Community solar projects are part of formal programs where multiple residential and non-residential customers can subscribe to the power produced by a local solar project and receive credits on their utility bills Installed capacity in Illinois and New York drive 10% national annual community solar growth in 2024 Community solar installations increased 12% year-over-year in Q3 2024 Capacity additions continue to be highly concentrated within a few state markets New York and Maine comprised 38% and 22% of Q3 2024 volumes New capacity in Illinois totalled 54 MWdc – the state’s largest quarter since Q2 2021 H1 2024 installation volumes were stronger than reported last quarter totalling 670 MWdc – a 26% increase compared to H1 2023 Driven by these historical changes and strong quarterly growth in top markets we now expect 10% national annual growth in 2024 with cumulative community solar volumes expected to break 8 GWdc community solar volumes will level off through 2026 While pipeline capacity in the top three markets now totals over 7 GWdc interconnection constraints significantly hinder how much and how quickly this capacity can be realized community solar projects now take an average of 35 months to reach completion – a 48% increase compared to 2020 Current levels of installation growth cannot be sustained without significant interconnection reform developers are beginning to seek new origination opportunities outside of top markets these markets are currently too small to make up for declines in larger markets long-term we expect the community solar market to contract at an average annual rate of 5% through 2029 with cumulative capacity on track to break 15 GWdc by 2030 our five-year outlook includes only state markets with programs currently in place and does not include those with proposed program legislation leaving upside potential if new legislation is passed which granted awards to 60 successful applicants could also provide further upside to the outlook once implementation plans are finalized Utility-scale segment maintains installation momentum but projects in 2024 still face risk of delays The utility-scale sector achieved its strongest third quarter on record with 6.6 GWdc of capacity installed in Q3 2024 with 5.3 GWdc of newly contracted projects in Q3 2024 This is the first year-over-year increase observed for contracted utility-scale projects in the third quarter since 2019 the total contracted pipeline declined 1% from last quarter to 74 GWdc as installation volumes slightly exceeded newly contracted projects Wood Mackenzie forecasts that 195 GWdc of new utility-scale solar will come online between 2024-2029 This represents a 5% increase compared to our previous forecast This 9 GWdc increase to our outlook is driven by a strong pipeline of projects that had experienced delays but are currently undergoing construction in the second half of 2024 We expect these delayed projects to materialize in 2025 and 2026 The pipeline of projects is concentrated in key states like Arizona are expected to have their first GW plus-sized projects come online in 2028 and 2029 Our current forecast reflects the policy status quo We expect strong demand in the utility-scale sector driven mainly by utility and corporate procurements to drive an average annual buildout of 33 GWdc throughout our five-year outlook utility-scale solar will continue to be limited by a lack of labor availability constraints on the supply of high-voltage equipment Wood Mackenzie employs a bottoms-up modeling methodology to capture track and report national average PV system pricing by segment for systems installed each quarter The methodology is based on the tracked wholesale pricing of major solar components and data collected from industry interviews Wood Mackenzie’s Supply Chain data and models are leveraged to enhance and bolster our pricing outlooks New this quarter: Wood Mackenzie assumes that all system costs are incurred in the year in which the project is being contracted and no procurement or construction lags are being factored into the pricing Module prices for all segments are also now reflective of ‘overnight’ pricing and do not account for any procurement or delivery lags (previously modules for the utility segment were assumed to be procured one year prior to the project’s commercial operation) The utility segment data no longer breaks out taxes as a separate line item as those are incorporated in the equipment category estimates These changes have been made to the current system prices as well as historical 2023 prices The distributed generation (DG) segment experienced year-over-year declines in system prices The residential segment was down 4% to $3.33/Wdc and the commercial segment was down 12% to $1.44/Wdc in Q3 2024 Despite increased costs across the balance-of-plant categories such as labor the total system price decreased as module prices declined by 35% year-over-year averaging $0.31/Wdc in Q3 2024 for the DG segments The utility segment’s system price was $1.06/Wdc for fixed-tilt and $1.20/Wdc for single-axis tracking systems in Q3 2024 Module price declines for this segment were offset by higher labor costs as EPCs worked to meet the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements (PWA) for IRA incentives resulting in higher overhead costs to demonstrate compliance with the requirement Rising wages due to inflation and an ongoing labor shortage increased labor costs by 10% annually in 2024 This report (“Report”) and all Solar Market Insight® (“SMI”)TM reports are jointly owned by Wood Mackenzie and the SEIA® (jointly “Owners”) and are protected by United States copyright and trademark laws and international copyright/intellectual property laws under applicable treaties and/or conventions Purchaser of Report or other person obtaining a copy legally (“User”) agrees not to export Report into a country that does not have copyright/intellectual property laws that will protect rights of Owners therein which allows you to (i) distribute the report within your organization across multiple locations to its representatives employees or agents who are authorized by the organization to view the report in support of the organization’s internal business purposes and (ii) display the report within your organization’s privately hosted internal intranet in support of your organization’s internal business purposes Your right to distribute the report under an 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connection with its goods/services under this agreement shall not exceed the amount you paid to Owners for use of the report in question The US solar industry installed nearly 50 (49.99) GWdc of capacity in 2024 The industry continued breaking records and experiencing unprecedented growth accounting for 66% of all new generating capacity added in 2024 All solar segments set annual installation records except for residential solar which experienced its lowest year of new capacity since 2021 The factors driving installation growth in 2024 varied for each segment Commercial solar installed 2,118 MWdc in 2024 setting an annual record and growing by 8% year-over-year California Net Energy Metering (NEM) 2.0 projects continued to come online through the fourth quarter and strong deployments in Illinois and Maine ahead of net metering deadlines contributed to a solid year for the segment The community solar segment completed its largest-ever quarter in Q4 achieving an annual record of 1,745 MWdc in 2024 This growth was primarily driven by record-breaking capacity additions in New York The utility-scale segment deployed more than 16 GWdc in Q4 alone a significant contraction in the California market and the impact of sustained high interest rates nationwide contributed to a 31% year-over-year decline in 2024 2024 was the year of materialization of the IRA and the momentum will extend into 2025 After record-breaking installation levels in 2024 we expect a slight contraction in 2025 for the commercial Reduced California NEM 2.0 backlogs and adaptation to the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements will contribute to a temporary commercial market slowdown higher levels of penetration in mature state markets and a slow ramp-up of capacity in emerging markets due to interconnection challenges are leading to our expectations of a contraction this year more than half of the estimated capacity for the year is currently under construction The pipeline of projects in late-stage development remains healthy and is expected to materialize this year The residential solar market will experience some recovery this year The segment experienced significant turmoil last year with numerous installer and financier bankruptcies rate cuts occurred later in the year and were not as impactful to financing rates as expected the largest residential solar state market by far declined by 45% in 2024 after the shift to net billing We anticipate some stabilization for the residential solar market in 2025 as the California market levels out and the third-party ownership segment continues to grow rapidly with a focus on qualifying projects for the domestic content adder we expect installations in 2025 to remain relatively flat at 49 GWdc US solar module manufacturing capacity triples The US solar module manufacturing industry experienced record growth in 2024 Domestic module manufacturing capacity grew 190% year-over-year from 14.5 GW at the end of 2023 to 42.1 GW at the end of 2024 This figure has grown to over 50 GW in early 2025 Growth in upstream component manufacturing has been significantly slower as these factories are more expensive and complex to develop The US did reshore cell manufacturing in 2024 for the first time since 2019 with the restart of Suniva’s 1 GW Georgia factory The start of ES Foundry’s South Carolina cell factory in January 2025 brought the country’s total crystalline silicon cell manufacturing capacity to 2 GW in addition to First Solar’s 10.6 GW of domestic thin film capacity other manufacturers who planned to begin cell production before the end of the year delayed many US-made crystalline silicon modules will continue to be made with imported cells as domestic cell factories ramp up throughout 2025 and into 2026 Both Hanwha Qcells and Silfab Solar are expected to start US cell production in 2025 No companies brought wafer manufacturing online in 2024 and several have canceled or downsized their planned factories the US government began to implement measures that could help domestic wafer manufacturing become more viable This includes allowing solar wafer manufacturers to claim the 25% 48D CHIPS Act ITC in addition to the 45X PTC and incorporating wafers into the most recently released domestic content guidance safe harbor table Hanwha Qcells is expected to begin operation of its US wafer facility in 2025 The buildout of additional US polysilicon capacity hit a snag when REC Silicon shut down production at its Moses Lake The company had difficulty producing polysilicon of the required purity levels stated it could no longer wait for a viable product and signed a new supply agreement for OCI polysilicon from Malaysia With a limited potential customer base for US-made solar-grade polysilicon REC Silicon has shifted its production focus to silicon gases President Trump’s flurry of executive orders brought uncertainty to the solar industry During the first weeks of the new administration President Trump issued a series of executive orders impacting industries including the energy sector Several are aimed at promoting fossil fuels and rolling back climate change initiatives The proposed measures have varying degrees of impact on each solar segment We have identified some initiatives that are contributing to a challenging environment for the sector: The industry remains optimistic about the role of solar in achieving energy dominance and meeting rising electricity demand State-level initiatives and corporate demand will gain more relevance and drive solar development potentially mitigating the impact of federal mandates combined with supply chain bottlenecks for large gas turbines will position solar as the preferred technology to meet the growing demand A High case in which the tax credits remain in place with no changes and solar product supply availability remains high would increase the outlook by 24% our team of analysts modeled alternative scenarios that include several policy and economic factors that will drive solar development in the US we envision that the tax credits and adders in the IRA remain unchanged and any pending guidance is released expeditiously and generally favorable for developers tax equity availability increases faster than anticipated as more corporate players participate in the transferability market increasing the financing available for renewable energy projects We assume that interest rates decline at a faster pace than in our Base case reaching a Federal Reserve target range of 2.75% – 3% by the end of 2027 bringing down the cost of capital more quickly availability of solar product supply is high and the supply chain is not a limiting factor to deployment We also assume that transmission projects are fast-tracked and that smooth state-level collaboration promotes the construction of large interregional projects Grid operators implement reforms that address queue backlogs faster than anticipated High levels of corporate interest lead large tech companies to procure their own renewable assets both behind and in front of the meter Our High case results in a 24% increase in total solar installations through 2034 relative to the Base case translating to an additional 118 GWdc of capacity Near-term installations are less sensitive to our assumptions given typical project timelines But this annual increase grows to roughly 30% by the end of the outlook A Low case in which tax credits phase out early and supply chain constraints increase would decrease the outlook by 25% Our low case scenario presents a more challenging environment for the US solar industry and is directionally opposite to our High case while the PTC is reduced to 80% of its original value in the near-term All bonus ITC adders and direct pay provisions are eliminated early in the forecast period These measures have a significant impact on project economics We assume that tax equity availability struggles to keep up with demand as the tax basis decreases with the corporate tax rate reductions limiting available financing for renewable projects The transferability market also faces challenges Interest rates remain at their current levels through our outlook resulting in a sustained high cost of capital and weaker project economics The Low case also assumes solar product supply is more limited which is driven by decreases in the imported solar product supply chain and more modest solar product domestic manufacturing buildout permitting for renewable projects becomes lengthier and more complex Proposed interconnection queue reforms are not approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) or fail to address backlogs Delayed fossil asset retirements reduce opportunity for new generation Post-2030 load growth is supported by new gas build and non-conventional geothermal resources The Low case results in a 25% decrease in total solar installations through 2035 compared to the Base case the annual decreases are smaller in the near term but result in more than 40% lower capacity in some of the latter years of the outlook Forecast scenarios for annual solar installations based on various policy decisions and economic outcomes there could be nearly a 250 GWdc swing in solar installations over the next decade We have included the most notable assumptions but other factors contribute to our results The full report provides more details on the assumptions for each segment US solar industry capacity will more than triple over the next decade the US solar industry will add more than 375 GWdc by 2035 cumulative solar installations will exceed 730 GWdc compared to 236 GWdc installed as of year-end 2024 We expect annual capacity levels of at least 43 GWdc between 2025 and 2035 But after the significant growth that occurred in 2023 and 2024 challenges related to interconnection delays and labor availability will constrain future solar development market penetration continues to reach higher levels in many states this contributes to our expectations of a 1% average annual contraction over the next 10 years US solar PV installations and Base case forecasts by segment The residential solar market experienced its first annual contraction since 2017 Residential solar market turbulence persisted throughout 2024 a 31% decline compared to 2023 and the lowest year of installed capacity since 2021 The market started with a slow first quarter in line with the typical seasonal pattern of residential solar installations and the industry was optimistic for recovery in the second half of the year Installed capacity failed to bounce back as financiers and top installers filed for bankruptcy Interest rate cuts did not translate to lower financing costs or a sizable uptick in demand national residential solar installations ticked up slightly in Q4 but it was still the smallest fourth quarter since 2020 Installers continued to experience challenging conditions in 2024 42 states experienced declines in annual installed capacity last year Despite a 45% year-over-year contraction due to the net billing transition California continued to lead the residential solar state rankings in 2024 where deployment was driven by a rush to complete installations before the net metering deadline at the end of the year Illinois was one of the few states to grow in 2024 We downgraded our residential solar outlook this quarter After a more challenging 2024 than anticipated we reduced our 2025 forecast by 16% and five-year outlook by 15% overall Wood Mackenzie still expects some recovery for the segment in 2025 as installers have gained proficiency with selling solar-plus-storage There is considerable federal policy uncertainty but not a substantial impact on the future viability of the segment based on actions taken so far The residential solar market will continue to grow steadily and third-party ownership momentum with a focus on ITC adder qualification the segment will more than triple over the next decade California led the charge for another record year in commercial solar 2024 was another record-breaking year for the commercial solar segment California represented 34% of the total national installed capacity primarily due to NEM 2.0 installations coming online Commercial solar installation growth in 2024 was also driven by interest in new segments and unique financing options such as universities and Rural Energy for America Program federal grants The commercial segment grew by 18% quarter-over-quarter in Q4 2024 driven by strong installation volumes in Illinois These states made up 70% of new installed capacity in Q4 2024 and Pennsylvania also contributed to the segment’s record growth last year Many areas in the Midwest and Southern regions of the US are appealing to commercial solar developers due to low development costs abundant land to achieve economies of scale Wood Mackenzie forecasts an 11% contraction in 2025 as installers adapt to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements Developers accelerated pipeline buildout before these rules took effect leading to a temporary installation surge in the past two years Installations will dip in 2026 due to an expected reduction in California’s installations following the switch to the net billing tariff policy and increased market penetration in more mature markets We expect the market to bounce back in 2027 with continued growth into 2028 and 2029 primarily due to increased retail rates and more projects qualifying for the ITC adders We expect 8% average annual growth over the next five years Commercial solar installations and Base case forecast Annual community solar capacity additions in 2024 surpassed a record-breaking 1.7 GWdc Community solar installations increased by 35% year-over-year in 2024 resulting in 1,745 MWdc of new capacity and a record-breaking year for the segment Installed capacity in New York and Maine drove this impressive growth with Q4 2024 volumes greatly exceeding previous expectations The two states installed 861 MWdc and 370 MWdc of new capacity in 2024 accounting for 71% of national community solar volumes Illinois also had a particularly strong year with capacity additions totalling 213 MWdc Cumulative installed community solar capacity now totals 8.6 GWdc recorded its lowest year of installed capacity since 2015 with volumes declining 16% compared to 2023 the ramp-up of capacity in emerging state markets like Virginia and Delaware has been extremely slow due to interconnection challenges and no projects in Delaware have come online through Q4 2024 While we expect growth in these smaller state markets will pick up in 2025 the persistence of interconnection challenges and program size caps limit the potential for long-term growth Despite impressive national volumes in 2024 we expect capacity additions to level off beginning this year contracting 8% on average annually through 2029 cumulative capacity is still on track to break 15 GWdc by 2030 will remain dominant but are quickly reaching a saturation point and cannot maintain the same levels of growth long-term our five-year outlook includes only state markets with active programs and does not include those with proposed program legislation Although early administration actions have fueled uncertainty across the US solar industry material actions so far have resulted in minimal changes to our Base case outlook for the community solar segment Community solar installations and Base case forecast Utility-scale segment achieves its strongest year of installations in 2024 The utility-scale sector installed 16.2 GWdc of projects in Q4 2024 The high level of installations in Q4 pushed the segment to achieve its strongest year on record Despite the large volume of quarterly installations Q4 2024 represents a 13% decline year-over-year Nearly 70% of installations were concentrated in seven states: Texas A total of 7.3 GWdc of projects were contracted in Q4 2024 Nearly 60% of projects contracted in Q4 2024 had large technology corporate buyers such as Meta and Amazon to support their growing energy needs and clean energy goals The bulk of projects with corporate off-takers was in Texas with the highest activity coming from Meta’s PPA contracts Nearly 1 GWdc of projects was contracted in Q4 2024 by NYSERDA as a result of solar projects rebidding their contracts from their original 2021 and 2022 request for proposals Arizona Public Service contracted 1.3 GWdc of solar projects in Q4 2024 in response to rising data center loads Wood Mackenzie forecasts that the utility-scale segment will add 356 GWdc of installed capacity between 2025 and 2035 Installation momentum from 2024 will continue into 2025 but installed capacity will start to plateau and decline starting in 2026 from a contraction in the overall pipeline Rising energy demand from AI and data centers coupled with supply chain issues for large gas turbines as the segment is well positioned to help meet this expected growth when paired with storage Due to the prevalence of solar and storage in the project pipeline and these technologies’ relatively short development timelines growing energy demand cannot be met without significant solar and storage deployment The different buildout levels presented in the alternative scenarios account for the impacts of tax credit adders implementation of federal interconnection reforms Utility-scale installations and Base case forecast New this quarter: Wood Mackenzie assumes that all system costs are incurred in the year in which the project is being contracted and no procurement or construction lags are being factored into the pricing Modeled US national average system prices by market segment The residential segment system price landed at $3.36/Wdc in Q4 2024 This uptick is driven by an 8% year-over-year increase in customer acquisition costs forcing installers to increase their marketing spend to acquire new customers System prices for the commercial and utility-scale segments declined 7% and 4% year-over-year Module prices dropped by an average of 18% in 2024 across both segments Manufacturers adjusted module prices to respond to polysilicon prices declining by 11% module prices in 2023 were high due to the supply squeeze from the anti-circumvention ruling on imports from manufacturers in Cambodia the commercial PV system price reached $1.46/Wdc and the utility segment’s system price fell to $1.05/Wdc for fixed-tilt and $1.18/Wdc for single-axis tracking systems solar industry installed double-digit gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity SEIA has a long history of helping the industry navigate uncertain trade environments.   — The United States has reached a historic manufacturing milestone surpassing 50 gigawatts (GW) of domestic solar module production capacity Department of the Treasury clarified that solar ingot and wafer production facilities and equipment qualify for Section 48D 25% investment tax credit (ITC) unde.. only three states had more than 1 gigawatt (GW) of solar capacity installed 33 states can boast greater than 1 GW of capacity with more states joining the list every year states continue to strengthen their solar and storage infrastructure to meet new energy challenges and expand their energy economies.   The Golden State is still holding on to its crown as the United States’ leader in solar energy production The California solar industry now employs over 80,000 Californians and provides almost 30% of the state’s electricity While California has long been a leader in solar energy other states are quickly catching up.  The solar industry has also been a boon for Texas farmers and ranchers allowing them to keep energy costs low or earn supplemental income all year round by leasing part of their land for solar development Holding steady in the third spot is the Sunshine State. Florida has over 18.5 GW of installed solar capacity, which is enough to power more than 2,200,000 homes. After the passage of Hurricane Helene and Milton, communities across the state – such as the Hunter’s Point – turned to excess solar energy to keep their lights on. Soaring into the Solar Top 5 is Arizona. The Grand Canyon State is now home to nearly 10,000 solar careers and enough solar to power 1.45 million homes Favorable net metering programs coupled with property tax exemptions help make Arizona one of the fastest growing residential solar markets in the U.S From the Sunbelt to the Northeast to the Midwest solar and energy storage are delivering new opportunities to local economies across the United States reliable solar energy is powering American homes and businesses a record-breaking year for the solar industry and every state in America is benefiting.  TX — Existing and expected utility-scale solar and battery storage projects will contribute over $20 billion in total tax revenue — and pay Texas landowners $29.5 billion — ove.. — Today the Massachusetts Legislature passed Senate Bill 2967 critical bipartisan legislation that addresses key challenges facing the solar and storage industry in the Commonweal.. — Nearly 9 in 10 Californians believe solar customers should be fairly compensated for the power they sell back to the grid and 85% say the state should be doing more .. “I think it’s starting to resonate more broadly just the impact the industry is having on construction and other industries that we use to develop these projects.” Head of Policy and Communications at Primergy Solar and the role of renewables in local communities She recounts her unexpected journey into the energy industry She transitioned from working on Capitol Hill to large energy companies to her current role with Primergy Randle highlights Primergy Solar’s rapid growth including its utility-scale solar and battery storage projects the largest solar-plus-storage facility in the U.S She emphasizes how renewable energy policies have enabled the industry to scale She also notes that policy certainty is critical to sustaining industry momentum making advocacy efforts—like SEIA’s largest-ever Lobby Day—essential for shaping the future of clean energy Randle also touches on Texas’s evolving energy landscape where solar and storage are playing a critical role in meeting growing power demand She stresses the need for continued education and engagement with policymakers ensuring they understand that solar projects drive economic development Randle shares how Primergy engages with communities by providing job training including an apprenticeship program with the Moapa Band of Paiutes in Nevada and a school renovation project in Texas illustrate how solar energy projects contribute beyond power generation—strengthening local economies and improving quality of life From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar — The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is unveiling a vision for the future of energy storage in the United States setting an ambitious target to deploy 10 million dist.. these factories can produce enough to meet all demand for solar in the United States This achievement is a critical step toward building a U.S.-based solar supply chain that ends our reliance on foreign adversaries and supports American workers According to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Supply Chain Dashboard companies have announced plans for 56 GW of new U.S as well as 24 GW of wafers and 13 GW of ingots Solar tracker manufacturing capacity now exceeds 80 GW “Reaching 50 GW of domestic solar manufacturing capacity is a testament to what we can achieve with smart business-friendly public policies in place,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper is now the third largest module producer in the world because of these policy actions This milestone not only marks progress for the solar industry but reinforces the essential role energy policies play in building up the domestic manufacturing industry that American workers and their families rely on.”    In 2020, SEIA set a goal for 50 GW of U.S equivalent to the power output from 27 Hoover Dams This bold target focuses on all levels of the solar supply chain there was only 7 GW of domestic module manufacturing capacity 41 metric tons of polysilicon manufacturing capacity and some inverter and racking manufacturing There was no domestic manufacturing of other key upstream inputs SEIA’s 50 GW manufacturing goal emphasizes the importance of sequencing the build-out of a domestic solar supply chain Establishing production of downstream components like modules ensures there is sufficient demand for upstream manufacturing two domestic solar cell factories have come online in Georgia and South Carolina in the last few months In setting the original manufacturing goal SEIA outlined critical policies to incentivize U.S many of which were implemented due to SEIA’s advocacy including the advanced manufacturing production tax credit as well as incentives for solar projects that use products made in the United States Further supporting the buildout of the industry, SEIA successfully advocated for solar ingot and wafer production to qualify for a 25% investment tax credit under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS) Solar module manufacturing has grown five-fold after the passage of critical federal energy policies the United States is now the 3rd largest solar module producer in the world Learn more about the surging American solar manufacturing sector — Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on President Trump’s March 20 executive order to boost .. — The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today announced that it is adding Recurrent Energy and Unirac Utility-scale solar has been generating reliable clean electricity with a stable fuel price for decades Developing utility-scale solar power is one of the fastest ways to reduce carbon emissions and put the U.S Solar power plants can be developed in a way that balances environmental protection with our energy demands and climate goals By enacting federal policies to accelerate growth of utility-scale solar we can continue creating jobs nationwide and diversifying America’s energy portfolio Developing utility-scale solar power is one of the fastest ways to reduce carbon emissions and put the United States on a path to a clean energy future we provide an average estimate of how many homes 1 Megawatt of solar energy can power allowing for easier communication of the scale of a project What distinguishes utility-scale solar from distributed generation is both project size and the fact that the electricity is sold to wholesale utility buyers Utility-scale solar plants provide the benefit of fixed-priced electricity during peak demand periods when electricity from fossil fuels is the most expensive Many utility-scale solar designs can also include energy storage capacity that provides power when the sun is not shining and increases grid reliability and resiliency Utility customers have repeatedly endorsed investments in utility-scale solar plants Utility-scale solar creates jobs across the supply chain from R&D and engineering to manufacturing and project finance to development and construction Solar and Energy Storage Manufacturing Stats: solar and storage manufacturing base can reduce supply chain uncertainty Federal policies that directly support domestic manufacturing (Section 45X tax credit and policies that encourage demand for domestic products (domestic content adder credit) have worked in tandem to lead to a surge in U.S solar and energy storage manufacturing investments These incentives help make American solar and storage manufacturing more competitive in the global market According to the SEIA supply chain dashboard there have been more than 100 new solar and storage manufacturing announcements since federal manufacturing incentives were established There are two main module technologies that serve the solar market: thin film and crystalline silicon Thin film module production uses a monolithic manufacturing process where photovoltaic materials are deposited onto substrate such as glass Crystalline silicon (c-Si or CSPV) module production is a multistep process that includes polysilicon The module supply chain includes polysilicon The further up the supply chain (further left on the graphic above) This means some of the announced capacity has yet to reach commercial production New factory openings and more announcements will continue over the next several years Since the passage of new manufacturing tax credits there have been investments to build and expand across the whole solar module supply chain Before the federal manufacturing incentives were enacted there was 50,00 MT/year (approximately 25 GW) of polysilicon capacity and 7 GW/year of module manufacturing capacity More polysilicon capacity is expected to come online in the next few years Suppliers expect the first ingot and wafer facilities to come online by the end of 2025 cell manufacturing was onshored for the first time since 2019 and the market expects additional cell manufacturing capacity to come online throughout 2025 there has been the strongest growth in module manufacturing growing from 8 GW prior to the federal manufacturing tax credits to 55.1 GW as of May *The SEIA Supply Chain Dashboard includes racking Solar mounting allows panels to be placed together in solar arrays and creates the main structure for mounting systems onto building roofs or into the ground Solar mounting systems provide structural support Mounting system components being manufactured in the United States include rails Mounting systems manufacturing facilities have also benefited from the passage of the federal manufacturing tax credits 26 racking facilities have either announced new facilities or expansions of existing ones This is a 50% increase in the number of mounting systems manufacturing locations in the United States American-made solar mounting systems means demand for U.S demonstrating the secondary impact solar manufacturing can provide to the rest of the manufacturing industry Due to the relatively quick time it takes to get a mounting systems facility online (6-12 months) many of the facilities announced in the immediate wake of the federal manufacturing tax credits have already come online The success of initial investments has spurred new announcements.The buildout of U.S mounting systems impacts all market segments Of the mounting system facilities announced since the passage of federal manufacturing tax credits 26 of the facilities serve the utility-scale market 4 facilities also serve the residential market and another 11 serve the commercial & industrial and community solar markets Power electronics and grid technologies help convert the direct current (DC) produced by solar modules to alternating current (AC) used in distribution and most transmission lines Power electronics manufacturing includes inverters The federal manufacturing tax credits and incentives for using American manufactured products have made domestically produced inverters more competitive benefiting both PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS) 19 power electronics suppliers have either announced new facilities or expansions of existing ones four will manufacture hybrid inverters (those that serve PV and BESS) and one will manufacture string inverters specifically designed for the utility-scale market Another seven will make electrical balance of systems items (e.g and combiners) and four will make transformers * SEIA’s Supply Chain Dashboard currently excludes manufacturing facilities designed specifically for electric vehicles and numbers reflect manufacturing capabilities for residential storage and facilities that serve both the BESS and EV market While EV-focused facilities are currently excluded much of the supply chains are the same and contribute to the same domestic manufacturing ecosystem There was limited American storage manufacturing designated to serve the U.S battery energy storage system (BESS) market prior to the passage of federal manufacturing tax credits The storage supply chain includes battery materials (anode and cathode materials and battery packs.Since the passage of these federal manufacturing tax credits there has been an expansion in upstream (mining) and downstream (assembly) battery manufacturing for the BESS and EV markets SEIA’s supply chain dashboard does not track upstream mining but tracks the midstream processing of anode and cathode materials in the battery materials category and downstream assembly with battery cells and battery packs Battery cells are individual units that contain the essential components of a battery (anode while battery packs are groups of cells connected to meet power and energy needs for a given application Battery cell and pack facilities that were announced thanks to federal manufacturing tax credits have begun to come online Additional cell and pack capacity expected online over the next few years as downstream battery manufacturing takes years to come online Midstream processing for anode and cathode materials are expected to begin operations by 2025 with an announced 557,750 metric tons of battery materials targeting to be online by the end of the decade The federal manufacturing tax credits have resulted in billions of dollars in solar and storage manufacturing investment and provide thousands of good paying jobs for Americans solar and storage manufacturing investments have more than doubled with over $38 billion announced investments Manufacturing jobs at announced facilities have also doubled since the manufacturing tax credits were codified there will be over 67,000 solar manufacturing jobs by the end of the decade you can filter by product type and facility status as well as create a drive-time radius from any map point to explore geographic distances to potential customers or suppliers To view this map in fullscreen mode, click here You can also submit information regarding additions or corrections to the data on this map using this form. The data is available on the Sphere for SEIA members at or above the Kilowatt level This product reflects only the publicly available data underpinning SEIA’s Solar and Storage Supply Chain dashboard there may be some differences between the data in this file and aggregate data published on the SEIA website which may include non-public information facilities that SEIA has determined to be unlikely to move forward have been removed from the public data sheet We provide this data and map as-is and do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness It is meant for informational purposes only The user of the data assumes the entire risk associated with its use of these data SEIA shall not be held liable for any use or misuse of the data described and/or contained herein The user of the data bears all responsibility in determining whether these data are fit for its intended use Please cite this resource as “SEIA Solar and Storage Supply Chain Dashboard.” If you would like to provide additional information or corrections, please use this submission form. For other questions, email supplychain@seia.org This page provides the methodology and data sources used to calculate the number of homes powered by the U.S The U.S. solar industry is growing at an unprecedented rate. Over the last 10 years, the solar industry has gone from installing  6 GWdc in 2014 to nearly 50 GWdc in 2024. With nearly 236 GWdc of cumulative solar electric capacity solar energy generates enough clean electricity to power more than 40.7 million average American homes As solar becomes a more significant piece of the U.S it is important to understand just how many homes a megawatt of solar capacity can power we share how SEIA estimates the number of homes powered per megawatt of installed solar capacity and the variables that need to be considered in this calculation For the purposes of these estimates we use “power” not in the instantaneous sense but rather in the total annual electric power consumption sense The two key figures of this calculation are the annual electricity generation from solar in a state in megawatt-Hours (MWh) and the average MWh consumed annually by average households in that state How much electricity a state’s solar fleet generates depends on how much solar is installed in each state This figure varies on a per-megawatt basis as well play a major role in the productivity of solar as do the design of the system itself (rooftop vs ground-mount To better account for the differences in performance by system type SEIA’s estimates of annual generation are broken out by market segment can be constrained by the angle of the roof or nearby tree cover generate less electricity per MW than utility-scale systems which are typically sited under more optimal conditions and increasingly have dual-axis tracking systems with bifacial modules When calculating the number of homes powered by U.S SEIA considers average generation factors (MWh/MW) at both the state and segment levels SEIA uses both generation and capacity data from Electric Power Monthly To account for the seasonal change in solar performance calculations represent a 12 month rolling average currently spanning April 2023 to March 2024 Electricity consumption varies significantly across all states due in part to differences in demographics a homeowner in a state like North Carolina–with hot and long summers—uses more than twice as much electricity each year compared to a homeowner in New York State with shorter and relatively cooler summers The average number of homes per megawatt of PV for a given state is simply the quotient of the capacity-weighted (weighted across fleet size for each market segment) average PV system performance estimate and the average annual household consumption The graphic below outlines the homes/MW methodology for NY This calculation was repeated for every state Due to differences in PV system performance and annual energy consumption per household the number of homes powered by a MW of solar can vary significantly from state to state The chart below shows the average number of homes powered by a MW of solar in some of the main solar markets across the country The current national average (through Q4 2024) of homes powered by a MW of solar is 168 Since SEIA began calculating this number in 2012 it has line with the market share of system types and the geographic distribution of solar PV systems As utility-scale systems have taken on a greater share of total PV capacity it has put upward pressure on the homes/MW number because those systems generally have higher yields than rooftop systems as the solar PV market diversifies and California’s share of total capacity decreases more states that have higher average household electricity consumption have pushed the average homes/MW down As these and other trends continue to emerge we can expect continued minor adjustments to the homes/MW number The methodology behind the national average calculation includes the following steps: The flow chart below outlines the step-by-step process used to calculate the total number of homes powered by PV in New York This process was repeated for all 50 states Once the total number of homes powered by PV was calculated in every state the totals were summed to show the national total number of homes powered by PV The national total was then divided by the national cumulative installed PV capacity The quotient is the national average number of homes powered by a MW of PV The flow chart below outlines the final step in the methodology and SEIA uses the following factors to convert to MWdc: SEIA’s Solar Means Business Report tracks commercial solar installations detailing how major corporations are using solar energy in the United States Please complete this survey on your compan.. Energy Information Administration issued a proposal to update the Electric Power and Renewable Electricity Surveys forms used to collect information on utility-scale If all you cared about was “let’s just get as much on the grid as quickly as we can,” it leads back to those renewable resources an organization that is making the conservative case for all forms of energy Beginning in the late 1990s as Republicans for Environmental Protection ConservAmerica produces analyses and advocacy to help support the work of Congress A public policy veteran with experience on Capitol Hill Kupfer served as the Acting Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Department of Energy during the George W He and the administration advocated for an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that would value both sustainability and energy security He additionally worked in the private sector and in academia He joined ConservAmerica during a time when energy and environmental issues were becoming hyper-politicized.  Kupfer is prioritizing delivering facts to Republican Members of Congress as they juggle the many different facets of budget reconciliation ConservAmerica partnered with the Brattle Group to forecast the consequences of repealing the existing clean energy tax credits The report found that electricity demand is going to increase over the coming years and a repealing of the tax credits would drive up household utility bills and lead to job losses Kupfer believes the report to be a helpful addition to existing dialogue around energy policy including on the ability of deploying existing sources of energy Kupfer believes in market-based solutions and maintaining policy stability so that businesses can better plan for the future Regardless of how the energy tax credits came into being Kupfer cautions against taking the drastic step of repealing them as businesses have already broken ground and hired new people thanks to the tax credits He emphasizes the importance of giving policymakers all the data necessary to make policy decisions and concludes by mentioning the importance of bipartisanship to create long-term policy stability.   From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry Jeff Kupfer is the President of ConservAmerica and served as the Acting Deputy Secretary There are over 5 million solar installations in the United States reliable energy to American communities Read SEIA’s Press Release on this historic milestone Get engaged with the #5MillionSolar campaign The public comment review period has closed SEIA is no longer accepting public comments although you may still access the draft standard Updates on the standard’s development process will be posted here The following standards have been developed in accordance with the ANSI Essential Requirements under the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Standards Development Policy and Procedures including without limitation all editorial materials are the property of the Solar Energy Industries Association Inc® (SEIA®) and are protected by copyright trademark and other intellectual property laws Solar is a critical part of a strategy to make America energy independent The technology is straightforward: nuclear fusion in the sun releases photons that hurtle toward earth where they strike solar panels It is a technology that was invented right here in America manufacturing has struggled to compete against countries that invested in building a domestic industry While the country maintained important solar manufacturing in some areas domestic solar products such as panels were fewer and farther between ranked 14th in the world for solar panel manufacturing capacity Starting in 2018 and then accelerating in 2022 additional factories started springing up left and right throughout the country Major investments poured into building factories and expanding existing facilities has leapfrogged competitors and ranks 3rd in manufacture of solar panels passing large solar manufacturing countries like Malaysia A new report by SEIA and Wood Mackenzie found that the industry had reached a critical threshold: solar manufacturing has reached a critical threshold American solar module factories can now produce enough to meet nearly all demand for solar in the U.S The success taking place in America is stunning Companies are investing billions of dollars to produce American-made solar panels in states like Georgia One of the most interesting attributes is the varying sizes of the facilities spanning the dimensions of several football fields Some companies are building in multiple states or multiple cities and towns seeking to meet the country’s rapidly growing energy needs American panel production is not done expanding — there are more factories on the way And that means more American jobs as well — if we maintain policies that keep the growth on track America’s solar manufacturing workforce will grow even more There is more that goes into a solar project than just the panels One of the most common and important components is solar trackers These pieces of machinery turn solar panels to They are manufactured to specification to withstand key wind speeds lead to the production of a lot more energy Major facilities produce trackers in Arizona One manufacturer even re-opened a shuttered Bethlehem Steel facility outside Pittsburgh All those trackers have to be held up by something and frequently they are supported by steel piles driven into the ground by high-tech pile drivers Companies in West Virginia and Texas are important suppliers of steel piles to the American solar industry Companies are manufacturing across the country including in places like Utah and Illinois Top racking and tracking manufacturers have invested extensively in U.S Another exciting development is the onshoring of domestic inverter manufacturing Inverters play an essential role in solar power production turning the energy produced by a solar panel from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) so that it is usable by AC homes and the grid They come in several sizes – large solar projects use string and central inverters that look like massive electrical boxes while residential systems routinely use microinverters and optimized inverter systems that can be smaller than a table computer And all types are now being produced in the United States Wisconsin while EPC Power is opening a facility in Simpsonville Japan-based TMEIC just opened its new facility in Texas Enphase manufactures microinverters in South Carolina and Texas while Israel-founded SolarEdge is producing optimized inverter systems in Florida and Texas The wave of new solar panel factories is also creating demand for new factories to produce inputs finally overcoming perhaps the biggest industry challenge Absent solar panel factories to create demand input manufacturers weren’t built in the United States because they didn’t have anyone to sell to But with the new panel facilities coming online, earlier parts of the supply chain are now starting to follow, surging ahead. American solar cell manufacturing resumed in Q3 2024 for the first time since 2019 when Suniva re-opened its Georgia cell factory Additional cell manufacturing has been announced in South Carolina 12 GW of cell production is currently under construction these facilities will also have the capacity to meet current American demand wafer manufacturing is also taking preliminary steps to get underway QCells already has a 3.3 GW ingot and wafer plant under construction in Georgia and news reports indicate that at least one other major U.S The success of the domestic solar manufacturing buildout is unique — there is no other country in the world Other countries have sometimes increased production of certain products individual Southeast Asian countries have produced solar wafers and South Korea has produced solar cells and panels so long as we don’t reverse the policies that got us to this point and can be patient as future facilities are built America is going to have ability to produce the key components – from polysilicon up to the final panel SEIA can say with confidence that this is only the beginning That’s because we are talking to dozens of other companies that are preparing to launch the next wave of domestic solar manufacturing There is more work to be done to keep things on track but if key policies stay in place and are not reversed this may be one of the most successful onshoring efforts in history These investments are directly benefiting American communities with high quality jobs and a new opportunity to lead our nation’s energy economy Solar is putting power on the grid at a time when we’re seeing the largest increase in electricity demand since World War II Maintaining business-friendly federal policies is critical to regaining control of the clean energy supply chain and giving Americans the low-cost power they need to keep our country running “The next two weeks is an important time…I would encourage folks to literally call up their District Office…Tell them…not just what we have done but what we will not do if this certainty goes away.” discusses the state of energy policy in Washington from the tariffs put in place by the Trump Administration to the fight to preserve clean energy tax credits on Capitol Hill Hopper notes that uncertainty surrounding trade policy hurts SEIA members in the long-term as they attempt to make business decisions for the next several years she feels confident that elected officials on Capitol Hill recognize their benefits and the solar energy industry is able to bring in a number of outside stakeholders who also support these credits.   Hopper encourages SEIA members to reach out to their federal elected officials and try to set up a meeting with their representatives or their staffers in order to give a firsthand account of the benefits of clean energy tax credits for local businesses As energy affordability remains a prime concern for representatives and voters solar advocates should emphasize to their elected officials that these tax credits are essential to keeping energy costs low then only higher-cost energy sources will be available to consumers.  As the country experiences growing energy demand Hopper emphasizes that solar is the quickest energy technology to deploy President Trump argues for American Energy Dominance the country must take no energy options off the table Hopper’s three main advocacy points for solar are its affordability she concludes by encouraging listeners to attend their representatives’ town halls which greatly influence the perspectives and opinions of Members of Congress.    Abigail Ross Hopper is the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) the national trade organization for America’s solar and storage industry Hopper is a visionary leader who has transformed SEIA into an advocacy powerhouse and the leading voice for the U.S a $64 billion force in our nation’s economy She is known for overseeing tremendous industry-wide growth in the solar and storage space the sector’s employment of 280,000 people in the industry the quintupling of the solar module manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and the adoption of business-friendly policies that promote American energy dominance Hopper has been named in The Hill’s Top Lobbyist list since 2020 and has been featured in hundreds of media outlets across the country She is also working to shepherd the next generation of the solar workforce by championing diversity efforts in the industry and through her Solar Sisters initiative SEIA has received numerous awards for its work and company culture and was named by the Washington Post as a 2023 and 2024 Top Workplace and a Best Nonprofit to Work For by the Nonprofit Times The solar industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation and offers tremendous career opportunities for workers from all backgrounds SEIA is working to create and facilitate the development of workforce development programs and networks that benefit our member companies We are bringing our members and partners together to build a more diverse SEIA’s member companies will need a pipeline of trained workers across the spectrum of roles from project managers to engineers Roles involving solar installation and installation of related technologies including battery storage are some of the fastest growing roles in the industry and they do not typically require a college degree less than half of workers (only 43% as of 2023) hired into the solar industry work in a role that requires bachelor’s degree There are career opportunities at companies of all types and sizes from small companies that install rooftop systems in a city or region to large nationwide development and construction firms working on large-scale projects across the country There is also a growing U.S.-based solar manufacturing industry and a wide array of business and financial service providers that support all segments of the industry Looking for a job or ready to launch a career in solar energy Manage your career online on SEIA’s Solar Job Board and we need an expanded skilled workforce to keep pace with this growth SEIA is working to create and facilitate the development of tools Apprenticeships are a time-tested and powerful tool for workforce development SEIA developed this page as resource for solar employers looking to explore or participate in registered apprenticeship programs SEIA’s Solar 101 Program is an all-inclusive platform for solar energy professionals to access expert knowledge on specific industry topics and trends The program includes a diverse set of courses that will provide value to both new entrants to the industry and established professionals who are looking for a refresher on certain solar subjects SEIA is often hiring for full time positions and seasonal internships Join SEIA and join us in leading the transformation to a clean energy economy We are proud to have been named on Washington Post’s Top Workplaces list for multiple years Click the link to view SEIA’s current openings The Solar Career Map explores occupations and careers in the solar and energy storage industry across a spectrum of education levels Use the Solar Career Map to explore a selection of more than 43 jobs across four industry sectors and identify more than 60 routes to career advancement between roles This map was developed by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) with funding from the U.S Jobseekers and career changers can use this FREE Exploring Careers in the Solar Industry course to explore the vast array of jobs within the industry across career routes for people with many different skillsets there is a place for you to begin and grow your career within solar This course was developed by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) with funding from the U.S Greenworkforce Connect is designed to bring together jobseekers and educators to support the clean energy careers of today and tomorrow Jobseekers can explore green energy career profiles and learn about training and apprenticeship opportunities There are a number of free basic courses available online on various aspects of the solar industry Through  RE+ Events we offer solar and clean energy industry professionals with opportunities to learn more about aspects of solar and policy in key regions across the country Through concurrent sessions and pre- and post-conference workshops attendees can learn about everything from PV system design to solar system marketing and community engagement Employees of SEIA member companies receive a discount on registration to these events Join our webinar on May 1 at 2:00pm ET for a look into SEIA’s Federal Funding Portal – your live one-stop shop for federal funding opportunities related to solar and storage Our Federal Funding Portal provides members with the following benefits: Join SEIA’s webinar on May 1 at 2:00pm ET to learn more about this tool on the Sphere Please join us and register for this webinar on Friday The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) develops and enforces Reliability Standards in support of its mission to assure effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid NERC staff will provide an overview of how Reliability Standards are developed and the opportunities for stakeholder involvement throughout this development process The webinar will highlight the Reliability Standards currently under development related to inverter-based resources (IBRs) and provide details on their timelines and how interested stakeholders can get involved NERC staff will review the status of its ongoing IBR Registration Initiative SEIA is leading the industry in coming together to build a more diverse expanded workforce to keep pace with this growth we believe that a diverse workforce creates a more resilient organization - one that supports a strong Workforce development is the ongoing engagement and existing industry workforce members to strategically meet the current and future needs of the industry while also motivating and meeting the needs of individuals in the workforce Our members are part of a larger ecosystem of organizations that we must work with to be successful SEIA is working to create and facilitate the development of programs Building a robust workforce can only be achieved through the active involvement of solar companies that want to work with community-based organizations underserved communities and expanding the size of the workforce Highlights of SEIA’s work in this space to date include these resources for employers: Use this linked resource for tips for attracting and retaining the highly sought-after military talent pool Employers can also visit this Solar Ready Vets Network site for general information and tips Explore apprenticeship options for creating an in-house apprenticeship program at your company participating in a union-based apprenticeship program or participating in a non-union based group apprenticeship program SEIA’s Solar Job Board is a platform for job seekers and employers to learn about opportunities in the solar and storage industry by posting and applying for jobs valuable information that will help jobseekers make more informed decisions about where to live and work and culture is key to attracting and retaining the workforce we need as an industry SEIA’s DEIJ resources are tools to support employers with that effort Attract future potential employees to solar by introducing solar concepts and career pathway opportunities at high schools Provide workforce pipeline partners and training entities with and understanding of industry needs and industry-approved standards for training Bring awareness of solar energy as a mainstream electricity source and an attractive industry for career consideration to elementary and middle school students these students will be the newest solar industry workforce entrants SEIA engages with its members and partners in various ways to gather the data and input needed to communicate industry successes These efforts include but are not limited to the following: SEIA engages members through SEIA’s Workforce Development Committee and IRA Apprenticeship Task Force Send us a message if you’re interested in joining these groups According to the 2022 National Solar Jobs Census the solar industry employs over 20,000 military veterans throughout the United States Check out SEIA's resources for solar employers looking to explore — The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) have received approval by the U.S Department of Labor (DOL) for national guidelin.. the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is focused.. America’s solar and storage industry is quickly transforming our energy system creating new opportunities in every corner of the country This rapid growth cannot be haphazard if we want to ensu.. While November is a traditional time to celebrate our veteran’s military service it’s also a good time to lift up the contribution to the community so many make after their service is complete.. America’s solar and storage industry is experiencing rapid growth Today the industry supports the livelihoods of more than 263,000 workers and our workforce is expected to double in size over t.. — The United States added a record-breaking 9.3 gigawatts (GW) of new solar module manufacturing capacity in Q3 2024 solar module factories can produce enough to meet nearly all demand for solar in the United States According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2024 report released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie solar module manufacturing capacity to nearly 40 GW Solar cell manufacturing resumed in Q3 as silicon cells were manufactured in the United States for the first time since 2019 marking a pivotal moment for America’s surging solar manufacturing sector “Federal solar policies and increased private investments are strengthening our nation’s energy security and creating thousands of new job opportunities for American workers,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper “The United States is stepping up to take market share from foreign competitors and making sure that the jobs and economic growth from solar are benefiting American communities.” solar industry installed 8.6 GW of new electricity generation capacity in Q3 representing a 21% year-over-year increase and the largest Q3 ever for the industry The utility-scale segment led the industry with 6.6 GW of new projects coming online Utilities and businesses are driving this growth as they procure significant levels of solar to meet rising demand for electricity The commercial and community solar markets also experienced strong gains in Q3 Texas continues to lead the nation in solar deployment The Lone Star State accounts for 26% of all new capacity to come online so far in 2024 Florida has installed the second-most solar capacity in 2024 and nearly 30,000 Florida households have installed solar this year 1.4 million American households have used federal incentives to install solar and lower their energy costs “Our current outlook for the next five years has the U.S solar industry growing 2% per year on average reaching a cumulative total of nearly 450 GW by the end of 2029,” said Michelle Davis head of solar research at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report and annual installation forecasts would be higher if not for limitations the industry faces Total solar deployment in 2024 is again expected to exceed 40 GW followed by annual installation volumes of at least 43 GW for the remainder of the decade solar will be enough to power over 71 million homes Learn more at seia.org/smi SEIA 251 is open for public comments until June 9 please access the draft standard to review and comment The Oregon Solar + Storage Industries Association is a trade association founded in 1981 to promote clean The US solar industry installed 9.4 gigawatts-direct current (GWdc) of capacity in the second quarter of 2024 the largest Q2 capacity addition in US history While installations declined 21% quarter-over-quarter This growth was mostly driven by the utility-scale segment installation volumes across the distributed solar segments were weak Residential solar shrank by 37% year-over-year driven strongly by California’s transition to net billing and sustained high interest rates commercial solar declined 5% year-over-year but increased 6% from the first quarter Several major state markets like California Community solar declined 12% both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter with 270 MWdc installed A handful of states saw quarter-over-quarter growth but this was outweighed by declines in key markets like Maine There is pending legislation to establish new community solar programs in several states growing 59% year-over-year with 7.6 GWdc installed but impediments to project execution continue to suppress growth photovoltaic (PV) solar accounted for 67% of all new electricity-generating capacity additions in the first half of 2024 making solar the dominant form of new generating capacity in the US Expectations for 2024 remain on track with some slight downgrades Our expectations for 2024 solar installations are just 2% lower than they were last quarter – 38.9 GWdc compared to last quarter’s 39.7 GWdc Every market segment has been downgraded slightly for various reasons We now expect residential solar to shrink 19% this year compared to our previous expectation of a 14% decline Second quarter volumes were less than expected driven strongly by only 230 MWdc of residential installations in California But most states saw quarterly declines – sustained high interest rates combined with retail rate declines in some states continue to temper consumers’ appetite for residential solar Several factors have driven the downgrade in our expectations for residential solar this year Installers and sales companies report lackluster sales volumes in the last several months Q1 is the slowest quarter for residential solar and sales activity picks up in the spring and continues to grow throughout the year installers hoped their volumes would recover in the spring and early summer major bankruptcies (Titan Solar and SunPower) will contribute to lower installation volumes in the near term These factors have driven the downgrade in our expectations for residential solar – we expect 5.6 GWdc of installations compared to last year’s 6.9 GWdc Commercial solar is expected to grow 8% this year and community solar is expected to be flat compared to 2023 Our outlooks for these segments have been reduced slightly to account for modest second quarter installations California installed a decent volume of commercial solar projects as the backlog of NEM 2.0 projects continued to interconnect But other key states were either flat or down in the second quarter Utility-scale solar installations are forecast to reach 29.8 GWdc this year But we have heard of some projects getting delayed to 2025 due to lengthening lead times for critical electrical equipment and limited labor availability from EPC firms our outlook for 2025 has increased by more than 2 GW to 31.5 GWdc We estimate that potential new AD/CVD tariffs would only modestly impact our solar outlooks   We’ve been monitoring the potential impacts of the latest antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) since they were proposed by a group of US solar manufacturers in April 2024 These petitions were filed with the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the US International Trade Commission (USITC) seeking new AD/CVD tariffs on imports of crystalline silicon solar cells and modules from Cambodia tariffs would also apply to imports of modules produced outside the targeted countries with cells produced in those countries The deadlines for the preliminary determinations have been postponed – the deadline for the CVD preliminary determination is now September 27 and the deadline for the AD determination is now November 27 The petitioners have also filed a request for a finding of critical circumstances in the Thailand and Vietnam investigations which could result in collection of duties retroactive to 90 days prior to the date of publication of the preliminary determinations There is considerable uncertainty surrounding these potential tariffs It will be some time before the industry knows whether the tariffs will be enacted at what tariff levels for various companies and countries the prospect of tariffs has already impacted the industry Given the questions surrounding these potential tariffs we have incorporated their impact into our solar outlooks with some assumptions We expect negligible impacts on the utility-scale segment for a few reasons there is a substantial amount of module inventory (including both crystalline silicon and non-subject thin film) already allocated to current projects – we’ve tracked 35 GW as of the end of the first quarter (see our insight piece “Navigating turbulence in the US solar supply chain” for more details) Many of these projects have already begun construction This inventory is expected to supply projects through the end of this year and potentially for part of next year the global solar supply chain has expanded considerably in the last two years Major suppliers are either shifting their cell and module supply chains outside of the targeted countries or have already done so Developers report that their projects would remain on track our utility-scale forecasts are not impacted by potential new tariffs We expect some modest near-term impacts on the distributed solar segments About 40% of projects in the residential segment and 60% in the commercial and community segments import modules from these countries And while there is also an inventory of modules for the distributed solar segments shorter project timelines mean equipment isn’t procured as far in advance and the impacts of tariffs could be more immediate We project that the tariffs would result in a 4% reduction in residential installations a 5% reduction in commercial installations and a 4% reduction in community solar installations in 2025 compared to our forecast without the new tariffs shorter project timelines also provide flexibility to adapt supply chains quickly These impacts will steadily ease and eventually become negligible over the coming years as installers and distributors procure non-tariffed equipment The final impacts of any new AD/CVD tariffs are still uncertain in part because modules and cells subject to last year’s finalized anticircumvention AD/CVD tariffs are outside the scope of these new tariffs It is also worth noting that these prospective tariffs could strain some domestic module manufacturers that planned on importing cells from the impacted countries Wood Mackenzie will continue to monitor and track the situation The US solar industry remains the foundation of the energy transition the US solar industry is on track to install over 250 GWdc of capacity Annual growth will average 4% from 2025 onward with some segments growing faster than others The solar industry continues to be the leading technology of the energy transition But the solar industry continues to face challenges and uncertainty such as navigating continued shortages of critical electrical equipment the outcomes of the AD/CVD preliminary determinations will influence the solar industry’s growth trajectory More support will be needed to accelerate growth beyond our forecast and achieve carbon emissions reduction goals The residential solar market’s downturn continued into the second quarter The residential solar market is off to its slowest start since 2021 a decline of 37% year-over-year and 10% quarter-over-quarter only seven states experienced year-over-year growth in installed capacity Residential solar sales and installations were weaker than expected in the last quarter contributing to more pessimism for this year’s outlook demand has yet to follow the typical upward trajectory that occurs in the spring and summer These factors forced many installers to lay off staff and exit unprofitable markets last quarter Some companies have not been able to survive this downturn; two major residential solar market players have announced bankruptcies in the past three months the residential solar market’s outlook for 2024 was reduced by 5% this quarter Based on low installed capacity in the first half of the year and fewer interest rate cuts than expected Wood Mackenzie now expects a 19% year-over-year reduction in residential installations in 2024 California volumes are expected to drop by 41% compared to 2023 California made up over 30% of residential solar capacity additions in 2023 and the state contributes significantly to our expectations of a national contraction We now expect an 8% decline in residential installations for all states other than California in 2024 We do expect a residential solar market recovery in 2025 with continued growth through the remainder of our five-year outlook we expect that the potential new Southeast Asian AD/CVD tariffs will impact this growth There is a greater impact in the near term as domestic and alternative sources of supply have not fully ramped up to meet demand The residential solar market will still grow by 14% in 2025 fueled by momentum in the third-party ownership segment and qualification for the ITC bonus adders the market will add over 33 GWdc between 2026 and 2029 as growth in emerging markets picks up and retail electricity rates increase California’s NEM 2.0 projects contribute to quarter of single-digit growth for commercial solar Commercial solar installations increased 6% year-over-year in Q2 2024 resulting in 877 MWdc of new installations through the first half of this year – a 4% increase compared to the first half of 2023 Second-quarter growth for commercial solar was driven mainly by solid installation volumes in California and Illinois totaling 230 MWdc of installed capacity between the two states More mature states such as New Jersey and New York had strong quarters despite their pipelines declining over the past few quarters and Georgia struggled last quarter with low installation volumes Developers are continuously exploring nontraditional markets as commercial solar growth slows in legacy markets and new market opportunities emerge Market uncertainty has increased for commercial solar developers as they navigate the likelihood of receiving the domestic content adder and the looming possibility of new AD/CVD tariffs developers are spending an increasing amount of time on creating strategies to stabilize processes and minimize contract risk As a result of low installations across many states so far this year our 2024 outlook for commercial solar decreased by 3% compared to last quarter Even though we incorporated the new AD/CVD tariffs into our forecast our expectations for 8% average annual growth from 2024 to 2029 remain unchanged We expect the tariffs to impact the commercial market more significantly in the near term resulting in a 4% reduction in our forecast for 2025 compared to our prior outlook We now expect a 15% contraction in the national commercial solar market in 2025 fueled mainly by the California net billing transition growth will gradually increase due to the benefits of the IRA and the continued rise of electricity rates We expect 2,138 MWdc of new national capacity additions to come online this year The top three community solar state markets made up 73% of total interconnected capacity in H1 2024 Community solar installations declined 12% year-over-year in Q2 2024 resulting in the lowest quarter of installed capacity since Q3 2022 Massachusetts and Maine had particularly slow quarters with Q2 2024 capacity volumes declining 95% and 52% year-over-year There were 577 MWdc of installations in the first half of the year mature state markets made up most of this total – New York and Illinois accounted for a staggering 73% of total installed community solar capacity momentum has been building more slowly than expected in emerging state markets interconnection delays have pushed the first wave of projects to the end of this year at the earliest H1 2024 totals align with our expectation of 1% annual growth in 2024 with total annual capacity forecast to reach 1.3 GWdc community solar growth hinges on the success of emerging programs and the successful implementation of federal funding Program pipelines in mature states like New York and Illinois remain strong these markets cannot continue to sustain growth long-term and emerging state markets are not growing fast enough to make up the difference what could have been a banner year for community solar legislation has instead transformed into a year of disappointments highlighting the difficulty of getting new community solar programs enacted and off the ground stakeholders anticipate the $7 billion Solar for All funding from the Environmental Protection Agency will have a positive impact on national community solar growth once implementation plans are finalized by the end of this year we expect the national community solar market to grow at an average annual rate of 2% through 2026 and then contract by 7% on average through 2029 our five-year outlook includes only state markets with programs currently in place and does not include states with proposed program legislation leaving upside potential of an increased national forecast if new legislation is passed this forecast incorporates the impacts of the potential new AD/CVD tariffs Anticipated impacts from these tariffs resulted in a 4% reduction to our five-year outlook compared to last quarter Utility-scale segment hits another quarterly record with 7.5 GWdc installed The utility-scale sector achieved its strongest second quarter on record with 7.5 GWdc of capacity installed in Q2 2024 7.7 GWdc of new utility-scale projects were contracted in Q2 2024 As installations matched procurement activity this quarter the total contracted pipeline remained at 96 GWdc Wood Mackenzie forecasts that over 186 GWdc of new utility-scale solar will come online between 2024-2029 reflecting a 1% increase compared to our previous forecast The 2.4 GWdc increase to the outlook is concentrated in 2025 driven by projects that started construction in Q2 2024 These projects were originally expected to come online in 2024 but will be delayed into 2025 due to a few factors developers are taking longer than expected to secure EPC firms due to constrained availability as well as more complex contract negotiations there continue to be long lead times for procuring transformers and high-voltage circuit breakers The new Southeast Asian AD/CVD investigation is expected to have negligible impacts on the forecast due to existing module inventory diversification in sources of module supply and continued availability of thin-film modules that are not subject to the investigations Strong demand in the utility scale sector maintains an average annual buildout of 31 GWdc over our five-year outlook utility-scale solar continues to be limited by a lack of labor availability Wood Mackenzie employs a bottom-up modeling methodology to capture Wood Mackenzie assumes all product is procured and delivered in the same year as the installation except modules for the utility segment which are procured one year prior to commercial operation PV system pricing declined across all market segments in Q2 2024 Despite increased balance of system (BOS) and labor costs these were outweighed by module price declines Module costs for the distributed generation segment decreased by an average of 40% year-over-year resulting in a 6% and 12% decline in residential PV system costs and commercial PV system costs As demand in the distributed segment remains sluggish due to elevated interest rates the supply imbalance for modules continues to put downward pressure on module costs the utility segment also experienced a decline in total system costs The segment continues to face long equipment lead times and labor shortages The balance of plant cost is also up as equipment and labor have become more expensive due to inflation overall costs for the fixed-tilt and single-axis tracking systems were down 2% and 1% The price drop can be attributed to a 16% year-over-year decline in the average module price for the segment driven by a module supply/demand imbalance and decreases in raw material costs The fire at the Moss Landing battery plant in California garnered significant public attention SEIA is working closely with members of the California legislature and codes and standards bodies to ensure that ESS systems are as safe as possible and to build confidence in renewable energy infrastructure among local communities Come learn about our approach with leading staff experts previously published a toolkit (Strategies for Recruiting Hiring and Retaining Military Talent) intended to support solar employers with resources.. The history of solar energy is an American success story Since the creation of the first silicon solar cell 70 years ago and growing this American-born technology into an essential part of our nation’s energy system The Bell Solar Battery solar accounted for over 50% of new electricity generating capacity added to the grid and employs over 260,000 Americans With over 179 GW of installed capacity and growing the solar and storage industry has become an American energy powerhouse The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has been at the forefront of the solar revolution for the last 50 years As SEIA continues to fight for the expansion of reliable here is a look back at significant solar milestones over the last 70 years 1954: Bell Labs Introduces the First Silicon Solar Cells The New York Times Front Page, April 26, 1954 In April 1954, Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson made the first silicon-based solar cell at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. While other types of solar cells have existed since the 1880s these new silicon solar cells produced power five times more efficiently setting the stage for the future of solar energy The New York Times covered the story on its front page The article called the invention “the beginning of a new era leading eventually to the realization of one of mankind’s most cherished dreams “” the harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization.” 1960: Hoffman Electronics Creates 14% Efficient Solar Panel 1961: The United Nations Holds “New Sources of Energy” Conference governments began considering its implications on an international scale The United Nations held a conference on applications of solar and geothermal energy in Rome from August 21-31 About half of all papers that were presented at the conference discussed applications of solar energy showcasing an international effort to develop solar power 1970: The First Earth Day Throughout the 1970s, innovators applied solar technology to ground-breaking projects, including solar homes. In 1973, researchers at the University of Delaware built the first house to integrate solar photovoltaic cells named “Solar One,” used heat and electricity converted from sunlight 1974: SEIA is Founded They agreed the new trade association should be “broad-based” and support the “prompt and open growth of solar energy resources now.” The U.S solar industry faced several early obstacles as it was being established SEIA soon began to play a central role in building a profitable solar industry including working to integrate solar energy into the policies of the Carter Administration SEIA continued to support and advocate for solar energy and now represents over 1,200 member companies in all sectors of the industry 1978: Congress Passes the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Congress passed the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) one of the first federal policies to promote renewable energy sources and introduce competition in the electric sector The legislation birthed the concept of independent power producers and set the stage for modern energy markets 1979: Jimmy Carter Installs Solar Panels on White House In a historic gesture, President Jimmy Carter installed 32 solar panels on the White House roof. During his presidency Carter fought for clean energy use amidst an energy crisis and an increasing concern for climate change Carter told the crowd: “Solar energy will not pollute our air or water No one can ever embargo the Sun or interrupt its delivery to us But we must work together to turn our vision and our dream into a solar reality.” 1982: First Utility-Scale Solar Farm in U.S The Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) pioneered utility-scale solar power generation in 1982 ARCO opened a 1.1 megawatt (MW) operation in Hesperia the first industrial solar power plant in the country The plant in Carrizo Plain operated from 1983 to 1994 and had one of the largest photovoltaic arrays in the world 1983: First State Net-Energy Metering (NEM) Program  states began to implement the first net metering programs to compensate residential and commercial solar customers for the excess energy they export back to the grid Minnesota became the first state to enact a net metering law in 1983 allowing solar consumers generating less than 40 kilowatts to receive export compensation The policy was among the first to incentivize and support the installation of distributed solar energy systems 2004: First Solar Power International Conference SEIA and the solar industry continued to expand throughout the 1980s and 1990s SEIA and the Solar Electric Power Association united to organize the first Solar Power Conference later renamed Solar Power International and then RE+ The San Francisco event attracted over 1,000 attendees the event attracts over 40,000 attendees annually 2005: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 Passes The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was a landmark achievement for SEIA and the solar industry the law included the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) The solar ITC has proven to be the most important federal policy to support solar growth in the United States driving hundreds of thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of investments SEIA has successfully advocated for multiple extensions of the ITC including its long-term extension in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Since the passage of the Energy Policy Act 2006: First Community Solar Program Launches Washington installed a new community solar facility “” the first of its kind in the nation The community solar project generated 110 kilowatts of energy allowing local residents to access the cost-saving benefits of solar energy even if they can’t install it directly on their roof the United States officially eclipsed one gigawatt of solar electric generating capacity in 2008 California accounted for half of all installed solar capacity at the time the Department of Energy (DOE) launched their “SunShot” initiative in 2011 The initiative aimed to lower solar energy costs by 75% by the end of the decade bringing large-scale solar costs on par with other forms of energy the DOE looked to expand domestic solar installations and re-establish U.S 2013: President Obama Installs Solar Panels on White House Throughout his presidency, Barack Obama promoted clean energy and pushed for action on climate change. In 2013, he released a Climate Action Plan calling for a historic expansion of clean energy and setting ambitious targets for solar power president to install solar at the White House following former presidents Jimmy Carter and George W With federal policies supporting the growing solar industry, the U.S. surpassed 200,000 solar workers in 2015 marking a record-breaking year for the industry family-supporting jobs to communities across the country Burlington, Vermont became the first city in the country to be entirely powered by renewable sources in September 2014 Vermont gets 19% of its electricity from solar energy 2015: First State Sets 100% Renewable Electricity Goal 2016: The U.S. Reaches 1 Million Solar Installations   Four decades after the first grid-connected solar installation, the U.S. solar industry hit a major milestone in 2016 when it surpassed 1 million solar installations. It was so significant that even President Obama was impressed reaching 2 million installations just 3 years later 2017: Utility-Scale Solar Costs Falls Below $1/Watt 2022: Congress Enacts the Inflation Reduction Act In August of 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law, supercharging clean energy investments and transforming the future of the U.S. solar industry. SEIA and Wood Mackenzie predict that the IRA will lead to more than half a trillion dollars of new solar investments by 2030 2023: Solar Accounts for Over 50% of New Electricity Capacity Added to the Grid Solar accounted for over 50% of new electricity capacity added to the grid in 2023 with a record-shattering 32.4 GW of new installations This marks the first time in 80 years that a renewable electricity source has accounted for over half of annual capacity additions Expect this trend to continue in the years ahead SEIA has been at the forefront of each of these milestones over the last 50 years championing countless policies and initiatives to establish the multi-billion-dollar solar and storage industry we know today Solar is the fastest-growing sector of the energy industry and SEIA will continue to lead the way to deliver greater economic opportunities — The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today announced that Sarah Vilms will serve as the organization’s vice president of strategic growth initiatives the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced it was named to The Washington Post’s 2024 Top Workplaces list for the second year in a row microgrid-focused event including DC and hybrid AC/DC microgrids supported by industry-leading partners EMerge Alliance and the Microgrid Resources Coalition will highlight the role microgrids play in today’s energy landscape Education sessions will focus on both behind-the-meter and front-of-the meter applications and relevant advocacy and policy areas This event was designed to serve and advance this market by bringing together buyers and suppliers across industry segments to explore business solutions Industry leaders SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association) and SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance) produce RE+ Microgrids All proceeds from the event go right back into the industry It means registering for RE+ Microgrids funds the year-round research and education provided by the two associations as well as SEIA’s advocacy efforts members of national SEIA and SEPA receive discounts to attend Signature Estate & Investment Advisors has named Matt Matrisian as president part of an ongoing effort to expand the firm’s national footprint following a year of record growth which surpassed $30 billion in assets under advisement in 2024 reported a more than 30 percent increase in AUA over the past year Matrisian will co-lead the firm's national expansion strategy alongside chief executive officer Brian Holmes organic growth initiatives and advisor support “Leveraging my experiences across M&A, technology, and advisor engagement to accelerate SEIA's national expansion is incredibly exciting,” Matrisian, who's stepping into the president role at SEI on Monday, said in a statement “I look forward to building on the firm's momentum and creating scalable growth opportunities that will benefit both advisors and their clients.” Matrisian joins SEIA with more than 15 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions and strategic growth including leadership roles at AssetMark and Raymond James Financial overseeing initiatives across enterprise sales business consulting and post-acquisition organizational design One of Matrisian’s priorities at SEIA will be strengthening the infrastructure and resources available to its advisors with an emphasis on enhancing services around estate He is also expected to help drive consistent client experiences across the firm’s expanding network of offices “Matt's proven track record in M&A scaling wealth management platforms and advisor technologies makes him the ideal leader to help us expand our national footprint,” said Holmes As part of its broader leadership realignment SEIA also named Eric Rosen as chief growth and strategy officer and Howard Chen as chief operating officer The firm has bolstered its advisor and home office ranks by 58 hires over the past year That includes its acquisition of $2 billion RIA Cedar Brook in Cleveland, announced in April last year, and a Hollywood advisor who came home to SEIA in a full-circle moment in December after it acquired her firm Additional offices in North Carolina and Texas are expected to open soon The solar industry is seeing a rise in demand for expertise on how to implement and comply with Illinois State Prevailing Wage (PW) requirements Many solar projects in Illinois now must comply with the IL PW requirements under the Illinois Shines Adjustable Block Program in addition to any previously applicable Inflation Reduction Act requirements This webinar will provide practical knowledge and tools for companies to implement and document their efforts correctly for IL Prevailing Wage requirements The webinar will provide a deep dive into the nuances of the requirements and highlight best practices for compliance ILLINOIS – Illinois clean energy industries are unified in supporting HB5856 and SB3959 new legislation that will future-proof Illinois’ energy grid and economy Illinois passed major clean energy legislation that commits the state to reaching 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% renewables by 2040 Going solar is a major purchase and you should have a clear understanding of all the solar options available to you before you make a decision for you and your family Take a look at our consumer resources to learn about your options for going solar SEIA is paving a path forward for clean energy companies on consumer protection by raising the profile of these issues and making this critical work a top priority for the U.S Solar customers and professionals can read SEIA's blog series to learn more about our consumer protection initiatives The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted a new program for businesses and residential customers installing solar replaces the existing Net Energy Metering 2.0 (“NEM 2.0”) program and only applies to new on-site solar systems (a.k.a. “behind the meter systems”) for customers of PG&E This factsheet is designed to help residential customers understand the high-level details of the new Net Billing program These streamlined statements are designed to help solar customers understand the terms and costs of a solar transaction - for a cash sale They are not intended to be a substitute for reading the contract lease and other documents associated with a solar transaction SEIA maintains and promotes standardized contracts for a variety of different solar transactions Initially developed under the Solar Access to Public Capital (SAPC) working group led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory the following model contracts have been endorsed and modified by SEIA as a critical component of our consumer protection and cost reduction programs RE+ Texas has garnered the attention of industry leaders and professionals from all cross-sections of the clean energy industry the event has grown to welcome 2,300+ attendees and 100+ exhibitors and continues to evolve to include industry segments beyond solar Venture to the region’s premier event to expand your business and gain the latest trends and policies impacting the Texas market RE+ Texas is your forum for professionals dedicated to the integration of solar and additional renewable energy assets like wind energy and electric vehicle infrastructure in the state Campaigning For Projects: How to Win With Communities & Local Officials Presented by: Tigercomm; Community Clean Energy Coalition (CCEC) This training program will provide clean energy development professionals with valuable tools to ensure their community engagement practices are aligned with the needs and challenges of today’s politically-charged atmosphere where renewable energy projects are stalled or cancelled due to community opposition To build local support for clean energy projects and reach key stakeholders where they are the industry must adopt more nimble and adaptable outreach techniques that mirror the tactics of sophisticated political campaigns attendees will receive guidelines and insights to help improve and evolve the community engagement practices at their company including techniques for handling tough questions strategies to engage the right stakeholders Participants will also receive takeaway resource guides If you are interested in this content but cannot attend the in-person workshop SEIA at csilver@seia.org for more information on other options Please note that this training is intended for staff at developers *All materials associated with this workshop should be considered confidential and should not be distributed outside of your company Cost: $350 *Please note that this workshop requires an additional ticket which can be purchased separately Register here Register here Apprenticeship & Workforce Briefing & Networking Power Hour Join us for an informative session on apprenticeship trends and company success stories, followed by networking opportunities! Click here to register for free Presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) RE+ Events strives to keep the industry moving forward by offering cutting-edge events centered around the trends all proceeds from RE+ events go right back to the industry to support SEIA and SEPA’s year-round research electric grid is a delicate system that requires a consistent balance between energy supply with energy demand When a heat wave turns on millions of air conditioners grid operators must turn on additional generation resources to meet this demand expensive power plants in response to dynamic demand needs can be slow Battery energy storage systems allow us to store energy when it is cheap and abundant and then dispatch that energy when demand and prices spike The power from energy storage systems is firm making it America’s most powerful tool for building an affordable grid operators work to deploy only the most affordable resources first and then add other more expensive generation as demand rises.  grid operators can save up the lowest-cost energy — usually solar energy produced during the day — and then dispatch that power such as combined cycle gas plants and nuclear facilities take many hours to change output levels because of the mass of their turbines and the thermal lag of their boilers These delays mean that customers are paying for electricity that won’t be used — a major system inefficiency that raises energy bills for Americans.  solar plus storage is the most flexible resource on our grid allowing system operators to quickly deliver affordable power when and where it’s needed most energy storage is the fastest-responding dispatchable resource with the ability to discharge power in milliseconds charging and discharging multiple times a day.  Battery storage systems are providing critical flexibility and resiliency to the U.S robust battery storage resources provide an already-produced but not-yet-consumed pool of low-cost energy to pull from when energy demand changes This is also helpful in maintaining power quality and resource adequacy as we add more renewable energy to the system.   For communities, battery storage can be a lifeline in an emergency.   During power outages, energy storage can provide critical backup power to emergency shelters the power of energy storage to keep the lights on is enhanced because the batteries can recharge using solar even if the power outage lasts several days.  As the country looks to achieve energy dominance while also tackling the unprecedented energy demand increases from AI and data centers building out America’s solar and storage infrastructure will be critical.  America’s tech giants are investing billions of dollars into solar and energy storage, precisely because these technologies can meet growing demand quickly and affordably at all times of the day.  The rapid growth of AI requires new generation resources to be up and running fast No energy technology can be deployed more quickly than solar and storage A new solar project can be operational in under 18 months while a new battery project takes approximately 20 months on average Compared to other technologies that take nearly 4 In January, SEIA released a whitepaper on energy storage that set an ambitious goal of building 700 gigawatt-hours of energy storage capacity in the United States by 2030.   With record increases in energy demand and an American population laser-focused on the cost of living it is critical that policymakers heed SEIA’s recommendations and support solar and energy storage in all its forms Robust battery storage resources are crucial to meeting America’s energy demand with firm As the industry grows and states explore significant increases in solar penetration the land necessary for solar projects will become more and more valuable solar development can be a net positive for the environment and a boon for local communities environmental and environmental justice groups and tribal entities announced today their agreement to advance large-scale U.S solar development while championing land conservation and supporting local community interests Harnessing the sun’s energy and converting it to electricity offers one of the most technologically viable and cost-effective means to produce pollution-free Generating electricity at the scale necessary to achieve ambitious carbon emission reduction goals requires long-term planning for efficient and responsible project development There is tremendous solar power generation potential in the United States. In five minutes, enough sunlight shines on the continental U.S. to satisfy our electricity demand for an entire month. The U.S. Southwest has particularly abundant and high-quality resources for utility-scale solar power. Research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that the entire U.S could be powered by utility-scale solar occupying just 0.6% of the nation’s land mass A utility-scale solar power plant may require between 5 and 7  acres per megawatt (MW) of generating capacity solar plant development requires some grading of land and clearing of vegetation as utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) technology has improved over the last decade projects are able to utilize land with much steeper slopes and no water access Siting and permitting a utility-scale solar project is a complex process wildlife concerns and others must be considered and securing access to a suitable site is only the first step in the siting process Solar projects are subject to strict review processes through federal Solar companies provide detailed project construction plans and propose mitigation strategies to aid in this process as well as today’s utility-scale solar power technologies ensure that any environmental impact is minimized The majority of utility-scale solar projects are located on privately-held land When a project is proposed on private land various state and local agencies must grant the necessary approvals prior to construction The siting and permitting process can take more than three to five years to complete SEIA supports the adoption of best practices and policies that streamline the siting and permitting of worthy projects When solar projects are proposed on federal land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the BLM, in coordination with other agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state and local authorities, is authorized to permit the development of solar and other energy projects SEIA supports the use of federal land for solar development and is actively engaged in BLM’s process for crafting the rules that govern how a solar project is permitted and built Environmental review of a proposed solar project on public land can take as long as three to five years This time period is typically less for projects on private land  Many areas ideal for utility-scale development are on public lands overseen by the BLM developers must obtain a right-of-way (ROW) from the BLM Applications for a ROW grant or lease undergo a strict environmental review process as required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) companies provide detailed project development plans preliminary environmental assessments and mitigation strategies in coordination with state and local authorities conducts analyses of the site and holds public hearings with members of the community to gauge the impact of the project on the area An official Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is issued for each project before an official Record of Decision is announced — Nearly 9 in 10 American voters support federal clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) according to new polling released today by Global Strategy Group (GSG) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) This broad support cuts across party lines as 78% of 2020 Trump voters support federal clean energy incentives only 10% of 2020 Trump voters strongly oppose these policies demonstrating weak desire among Republican base voters for Congress to repeal the provisions “Every American wants lower electricity prices and greater energy security — and that’s precisely what federal clean energy policies are delivering,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper “Politicians may talk and bluster as the election approaches and a savvy lawmaker will not undermine the billions of dollars in clean energy investments that are flowing into their states and districts.” Lawmakers that support federal clean energy incentives see a clear electoral benefit In a simulation of a ballot between a Democrat who wants to keep the clean energy incentives vs This is a 14-point increase for the Democrat from the generic ballot where Democrats have just a 3-point margin Voter support for solar and energy storage is bolstered by a strong belief in their benefits 75% of respondents agree that solar is good for the U.S 71% agree that solar paired with storage boosts grid reliability and 74% agree that increasing our use of solar will save American families money Over half of all respondents are interested in installing solar on their home. According to new Treasury Department data the extension of the solar Investment Tax Credit is already working for more than 750,000 American households and is bolstering communities with new opportunities and well-paying jobs Election battleground states like Nevada and Arizona are among the states with the highest rates of rooftop solar adoption under the IRA “Solar power remains the most popular source of electricity in America with broad support across the political spectrum,” said Andrew Baumann “The clean energy incentives passed as part of the IRA are wildly popular including with Trump-supporting Republicans and politicians from either party who want to repeal those incentives are putting themselves at great political risk.” Read the poll results and topline analysis.  Morgan Lyons, SEIA’s Director of Communications, mlyons@seia.org (202) 556-2872 there are no shortage of talking points about the industry that lack context and are often misleading Let’s set the record straight on solar and share the truth about the role solar plays in our energy systems:  Solar is one of the most predictable energy sources on our grid.  It experiences fewer unexpected outages than other generation sources solar scales to power air conditioning when it’s needed most While many generation sources require regular timely delivery of fuels across thousands of miles solar generation predictably ramps up quickly during the day without the need for off-site fuel This provides grid operators with assurances that solar will be available during the day while batteries can be dispatched to meet peak demands in the early evenings.  For these reasons solar is an excellent low-cost complement to resources that run with variable fuel costs or experience supply interruptions solar and storage systems provide energy freedom and insulation from grid-level blackouts.  Myth #2: Solar makes energy more expensive Solar also enjoys zero marginal fuel costs — because sunshine is and always will be free As families face higher bills for essentials every day keeping solar affordable will help customers and businesses make ends meet Myth #4: Solar takes up too much land  Solar and storage can be installed close to where electricity is used—on rooftops and near large demand centers—reducing the need for other infrastructure providing additional resilience to the grid when environmental factors shut off resources in certain areas Myth #5: Solar is made overseas   Today, the U.S. makes enough solar panels to supply 100% of domestic demand, a six-fold increase from just a few years ago. And the components of these panels as well as batteries are increasingly made here in factories stretching from the Carolinas to California providing thousands of Americans with good-paying jobs.  — A broad coalition of energy groups and their member companies are joining forces to hold over 100 meetings with members of Congress and staff from both parties about the critic.. — Today the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is unveiling a comprehensive policy agenda for President Trump and the 119th Congress to ensure the United States is the wo.. Net metering allows residential and commercial customers who generate their own electricity from solar power to sell the electricity they aren’t using back into the grid Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid if a residential customer has a PV system on their roof it may generate more electricity than the home uses during daylight hours the electricity meter will run backward to provide a credit against what electricity is consumed at night or other periods when the home’s electricity use exceeds the system’s output Customers are only billed for their “net” energy use only 20-40% of a solar energy system’s output ever goes into the grid and this exported solar electricity serves nearby customers’ loads Net metering allows utility customers to generate their own electricity cleanly and efficiently most solar customers produce more electricity than they consume; net metering allows them to export that power to the grid and reduce their future electric bills Net metering provides substantial economic benefits in terms of jobs Net metering increases demand for solar energy which in turn creates jobs for the installers and manufacturers who work in the solar supply chain the solar industry employs more than 230,000 American workers in large part due to strong state net metering policies which have allowed the solar industry to thrive some utilities perceive net metering policies as lost revenue opportunities net metering policies create a smoother demand curve for electricity and allow utilities to better manage their peak electricity loads By encouraging generation near the point of consumption net metering also reduces the strain on distribution systems and prevents losses in long-distance electricity transmission and distribution There are a wide variety of cost-benefit studies around the country that demonstrate the value solar provides to local economies and the electricity system as a whole Want to learn more about how net metering policies work with solar? Learn more about net metering and other solar topics on EnergySage Click on the map below to visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) which catalogs various policies for renewable energy nationwide and Puerto Rico have mandatory net metering rules in place Local ordinances or homeowner’s association (HOA) rules can affect the installation of solar systems on homes or businesses While these rules are often created to ensure uniformity or uphold a community’s aesthetic standard they may inadvertantly prohibit the installation of solar electric or solar heating & cooling technologies some rules allow third parties to require that solar customers make modifications to their system design which may unreasonably increase costs Across the country lawmakers are now acting to protect property-owners’ solar access rights Solar easements allow a property owner to negotiate for the rights to unobstructed sunlight on their property Solar access laws provide more protection to solar customers by prohibiting or limiting private restrictions on solar energy installations SEIA supports strong protection for solar access rights in order to reduce restrictions on the installation of solar technologies nationwide For more information, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) The Solar Energy Industries Association wants to see the U.S reach 10 million distributed energy storage installations and 700 GWh of grid-connected capacity by 2030 has nearly 500,000 distributed energy storage installations and about 83 GWh of total energy storage capacity The 2030 targets announced last month would represent a more than 20-fold increase in the number of distributed storage installations and a more than eight-fold increase in total deployed capacity The 700-GWh target is also well above Wood Mackenzie’s business-as-usual forecast of 450 GWh in energy storage capacity by 2030 Wood Mackenzie’s most recent Energy Storage Monitor showed total U.S. storage deployments reaching a record 9.9 GWh in the fourth quarter of 2024 marking the industry’s “strongest year yet,” Wood Mackenzie Senior Research Analyst Nina Rangel told Utility Dive in December Early-stage development constraints mean “it will be difficult to keep this pace,” leading Wood Mackenzie to forecast average annual growth of 10% between 2025 and 2028 Utility-scale storage installations account for the lion’s share of U.S commercial and industrial segments totaled just 29 MW and declined 4% year over year “The U.S. needs more storage than is currently planned” to enhance grid reliability and resilience while fully utilizing “the thousands of gigawatts of renewable energy that will connect to the grid” by 2030, SEIA said in a Jan. 28 whitepaper detailing its targets storage installations occur in the distribution-connected residential with transmission-connected installations to account for the remaining 80% Distribution-connected storage would total 140 GWh and transmission-connected storage 560 GWh by 2030 By the end of 2023, falling raw material costs had driven the respective prices of new residential and utility-scale energy storage systems below $2,000/kW and $1,000/kW, with further declines possible as additional U.S. lithium mining capacity comes online, SEIA said. New battery chemistries, such as iron-air But significant policy support remains necessary to reach SEIA’s 2030 targets States should also continue to lead on storage procurement with appropriate financial incentives as the industry defends federal clean energy tax credits in Washington Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts “There is simply no physical way that wind solar and batteries could replace the myriad uses of natural gas,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at S&P Global’s CERAWeek abuse,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said to Department of Justice attorney Marc Sacks “You seem to be abandoning that position now.” The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines is now home to more than 2 million solar PV installations Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced today The mark comes just three years after the industry completed its 1 millionth installation “The rapid growth in the solar industry has completely reshaped the energy conversation in this country,” said Abigail Ross Hopper “This $17 billion industry is on track to double again in five years and we believe that the 2020s will be the decade that solar becomes the dominant new form of energy generation.” Wood Mackenzie forecasts that there will be 3 million installations in 2021 and 4 million in 2023 California represented 51 percent of the first million installations but accounted for 43 percent of the second million This is in large part due to a growing residential sector that is rapidly diversifying across state markets was an emerging market in 2016 with 1,160 cumulative installations the state is home to more than 18,000 solar systems and is expected to add 22,000 systems over the next five years Other fast-growing states over the last three years include Texas which combined have grown from around 50,000 installations to more than 200,000 Illinois will see cumulative installations increase from 4,000 today to nearly 100,000 by 2024 While California will continue to lead the nation in installations the remaining top 10 state markets will see faster growth Nearly 750,000 installations are expected in those markets over the next 5 years compared to 500,000 installations over the last 5 years 1 solar installation per minute,” said Michelle Davis “That’s up from one installation every 10 minutes in 2010.” “Our nation is harnessing homegrown sunshine at scale to lower electric bills and build a brighter future for our children and grandchildren,” said Adam Browning “This remarkable progress is a true American success story made possible by customers It shows us both what’s possible and how much farther we can go when it comes to an urgent transition to clean energy.” commercial and utility-scale solar installations produce enough electricity each year to power more than 12 million American homes The total amount of solar generating capacity that goes along with the 2 million solar installations has now eclipsed 70 gigawatts is a trusted source of commercial intelligence for the world’s natural resources sector We empower clients to make better strategic decisions providing objective analysis and advice on assets visit: www.woodmac.com or follow us on Twitter @WM_PowerRenew WOOD MACKENZIE is a trade mark of Wood Mackenzie Limited and is the subject of trade mark registrations and/or applications in the European Community the USA and other countries around the world TX — The United States added 20.2 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity in 2022 This was due in large part to an investigation .. added 4.6 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity in Q3 2022 a 17% decrease from the same quarter last year as trade barriers and ongoing supply chain co.. American companies are installing record-levels of solar to power their operations and now account for 14% of all installed solar capacity in the.. carbon-free resource available in every geographic region of the U.S. with enormous potential to reduce our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions As carbon and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased dramatically in the past few decades the threat of climate change has also grown with enormous potential to reduce our nation’s GHG emissions Any market or policy proposal to address climate change should include significant development of solar and other clean energy technologies to power a clean Scientists agree that climate change is caused by an increase of GHG emissions in the atmosphere GHG emissions in the United States come from a variety of different economic sectors with the most prominent sectors being the electric power (28%) and transportation (28%) sectors commercial and residential consumption (11%) and agriculture (9%).1 There is no one technology that can reduce all U.S and SEIA works alongside partners in other industries such as wind and energy storage to advocate for a broad transition to a clean energy economy Solar technologies are a crucial component of our nationwide effort to curb emissions and achieve ambitious climate goals Solar energy is not just a solution that can help mitigate our impact on the climate it also contributes to the resilience and reliability of our electric grid making America more energy secure in the face of increased natural disasters and powerful storms that become more frequent in a changing climate GHG emissions result from the burning of fossil fuels for electricity usage in buildings and homes emissions-free electricity and can feed this electricity directly into the U.S now has more than 200 gigawatts (GW) of cumulative installed solar electric capacity enough to power more than 36.1 million average American homes and offset more than 222 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.2 Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids are widely seen as one of the near-term climate change solutions in the transportation sector especially when these vehicles are charged by a solar-powered carport or charging station EVs are an increasingly important component of distributed solar power helping American families reduce their carbon footprint by creating an end-to-end system that includes rooftop solar The manufacturing of common materials such as aluminum and steel are energy intensive and generate high levels of GHG emissions One of the main uses for energy in the industrial sector is for boiler fuel meaning that energy is needed to generate steam or heat water which is then transferred to a boiler vessel Another use for solar energy is for process heating when energy is directly used to raise the temperature in a manufacturing process such as in drying paint in the automobile industry The commercial sector includes buildings such as offices while the residential sector consists of homes and apartments Both commercial and residential buildings spend the majority of the energy consumed on space heating This is a perfect application for SHC technologies as the SHC systems can provide about 80% of the energy used for space heating and water heating needs Solar PV is a favored form of electricity for many leading businesses and corporations and distribution centers with large rooftop systems or off-site solar power plants Solar produces less life-cycle GHG emissions than conventional fossil fuel energy sources.4 While there may be some GHG emissions produced during the manufacturing and recycling of the solar system the generation of energy results in zero GHG emissions and zero environmental impact SEIA supports comprehensive climate and energy legislation and is opposed to any legislation that would weaken the Clean Air Act There are several domestic policy priorities that SEIA members are engaged on to encourage deployment of low-cost solar energy in the U.S — Today the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released final rules making important amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing the 2023 Fina.. Recent news of a severe hailstorm damaging a solar farm in Texas included headlines stating that broken panels could pose a threat to the environment By convening key stakeholders and developing flexible land use solutions this initiative is bound to deliver the economic and ecological benefits of solar power to communities across the .. Just twelve months after the Inflation Reduction Act became law the solar and storage industry is quickly becoming a cornerstone of America’s energy economy WASHINGTON, D.C. and HOUSTON, TX — The U.S. solar industry grew 43% and installed a record 19.2 gigawatts (GWdc) of capacity in 2020, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight 2020 Year-in-Review report released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie solar led all technologies in new electric-generating capacity added According to Wood Mackenzie’s 10-year forecast solar industry will install a cumulative 324 GWdc of new capacity to reach a total of 419 GWdc over the next decade “After a slowdown in Q2 due to the pandemic the solar industry innovated and came roaring back to continue our trajectory as America’s leading source of new energy,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper the equivalent of one in eight American homes will have solar but we still have a long way to go if we want to reach our goals in the Solar+ Decade This report makes it clear that smart policies work The action we take now will determine the pace of our growth and whether we use solar to fuel our economy and meet this climate moment.” The 8 GWdc of new installations in Q4 2020 marks the largest quarter in U.S solar market added 7.5 GWdc of new capacity in all of 2015 New capacity additions in 2020 represent a 43% increase from 2019 and breaks the U.S solar market’s previous record of 15.1 GWdc set in 2016 This is the first time Wood Mackenzie has released a long-term forecast as part of the U.S Wood Mackenzie is forecasting that the total operating solar fleet will more than quadruple “The recent two-year extension of the investment tax credit (ITC) will drive greater solar adoption through 2025,” said Michelle Davis “Compelling economics for distributed and utility-scale solar along with decarbonization commitments from numerous stakeholders will result in a landmark installation rate of over 50 GWdc by the end of the decade.” Texas and Florida are the top three states for annual solar capacity additions for the second straight year and Virginia joins them as a fourth state installing over 1 GWdc of solar PV 27 states installed over 100 MWdc of new solar capacity Wood Mackenzie, a Verisk Analytics business, is a trusted source of commercial intelligence for the world’s natural resources sector. We empower clients to make better strategic decisions, providing objective analysis and advice on assets, companies and markets. For more information, visit: www.woodmac.com or follow us on Twitter @WoodMackenzie WOOD MACKENZIE is a trademark of Wood Mackenzie Limited and is the subject of trademark registrations and/or applications in the European Community Verisk (Nasdaq:VRSK) provides predictive analytics and decision support solutions to customers in the insurance More than 70 percent of the FORTUNE 100 relies on the company’s advanced technologies to manage risks make better decisions and improve operating efficiency The company’s analytic solutions address insurance underwriting and claims the company continues to make the world better and fosters an inclusive and diverse culture where all team members feel they belong With more than 100 offices in nearly 35 countries Verisk consistently earns certification by Great Place to Work For more: Verisk.com, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube Morgan Lyons, SEIA’s Senior Communications Manager, mlyons@seia.org (202) 556-2872 Jen Bristol, SEIA’s Director of Communications, jbristol@seia.org (202) 556-2886 Laura Hindley, Wood Mackenzie’s Senior Global PR Manager, laura.hindley@woodmac.com —  The United States installed a record-breaking 50 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity in 2024 the largest single year of new capacity added to the grid by any energy technol.. BOSTON, Mass. and WASHINGTON, D.C. – In its biggest year to date, the United States solar market nearly doubled its annual record, topping out at 14,626 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) installed in 2016. This represents a 95 percent increase over 2015’s then record-breaking 7,493 MW. GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) previewed this data in advance of their upcoming U.S. Solar Market Insight report Source: GTM Research / SEIA U.S. Solar Market Insight Report solar ranked as the number one source of new electric generating capacity additions on an annual basis solar accounted for 39 percent of new capacity additions across all fuel types in 2016 “What these numbers tell you is that the solar industry is a force to be reckoned with,” said Abigail Ross Hopper “Solar’s economically-winning hand is generating strong growth across all market segments nationwide leading to more than 260,000 Americans now employed in solar.” FIGURE: Share of Capacity Additions by Generation Source Success this year was driven largely by the utility-scale segment which was bolstered by a pipeline of projects initially hedging against the extension of the federal Investment Tax Credit Not only did it represent the most MW installed but the utility-scale segment also featured the highest growth rate of any segment a record 22 states each added more than 100 megawatts,” said Cory Honeyman GTM Research’s associate director of U.S what stands out is the double digit gigawatt boom in utility-scale solar primarily due to solar’s cost competitiveness with natural gas alternatives.” The non-residential market also exceeded expectations with two major growth drivers in the segment rate design and net energy metering fueled a rush in project development and installation growth across a number of major state markets non-residential installation growth surpassed residential solar growth While growth in California’s residential market has begun to level out New Jersey and a handful of emerging states where solar has achieved grid parity helped the residential segment to grow 19 percent year-over-year is now home to more than 1.3 million solar PV installations with a cumulative capacity of over 40 gigawatts On March 9, GTM Research and SEIA will release the complete U.S. Solar Market Insight 2016 Year in Review the industry’s definitive source of state and segment-level solar data provides critical and timely market analysis in the form of research reports advisory services and strategic consulting GTM Research’s analysis also underpins Greentech Media’s webinars and live events Our coverage spans the green energy industry including solar power energy efficiency and wind power sectors.  Alex Hobson, SEIA Senior Communications Manager, ahobson@seia.org (202) 556-2886 Mike Munsell, GTM Research Marketing Manager, munsell@gtmresearch.com (617) 500-7764 — Solar module manufacturing capacity in the United States now exceeds 31 gigawatts (GW) — a nearly four-fold increase since the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) became law in 2022 According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q3 2024 report released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie federal clean energy policies continue to drive manufacturing and deployment growth as the solar industry installed 9.4 GW of new electric generation capacity in Q2 2024 the solar industry has added 75 GW of new capacity to the grid representing over 36% of all solar capacity built in U.S Nearly 1.5 million American homes have installed solar since the IRA passed “The solar and storage industry is turning federal clean energy policies into action by rapidly creating jobs and powering economic growth in all 50 states particularly in battleground states like Arizona Nevada and Georgia,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper “We are now manufacturing historic amounts of solar energy in America we will have enough domestic module production to supply nearly all U.S Texas continues its run as a dominant solar market leading the nation with 5.5 GW of solar capacity installed in the first half of 2024 States with closely watched elections this November “The solar industry had a great second quarter mostly due to growth in the utility-scale segment,” said Michelle Davis head of global solar at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report “But future solar growth is being hindered by broader power sector challenges – interconnection backlogs The industry also faces uncertainty related to newly proposed tariffs and the presidential election There is currently a lot to navigate in the solar industry.” The residential solar market continued to contract in Q2 2024 driven by policy changes in California and high interest rates nationally The sector added 1.1 GW of new capacity in Q2 the residential solar market is expected to see growth again in 2025 and is projected to set annual records from 2026-2029 Annual solar installations will grow at 4% on average over the next several years as the industry contends with previously mentioned challenges solar capacity is expected to double to 440 GW Learn more at seia.org/smi will work on acquisitions and improving advisor services for SEIA Signature Estate & Investment Advisors (SEIA) a $30 billion registered investment advisor based in Los Angeles as president to work alongside co-founder and CEO Brian Holmes will look to speed SEIA’s organic and inorganic growth and improve advisor services After an exhaustive search for the new role CEO Holmes said Matrisian “had us at ‘hello’.” which was somebody with strength in M&A The RIA, backed by private equity firm Reverence Capital Partners, had 30% year-over-year growth in client assets under management and administration through 2024. Last year, it made its largest acquisition since the Reverence capital infusion, acquiring a $2 billion RIA based in Cleveland SEIA also announced two internal promotions Current Chief Compliance Officer Eric Rosen will become chief strategy and growth officer focused on advisor services and growth initiatives Vice President of Investment Services Howard Chen will become chief operating officer to “strengthen SEIA’s operational backbone,” according to the firm Related:MarketCounsel Exec Takes on Business Development Role at Binah SEIA added 58 advisors and home office employees in the past year and expanded in multiple states with additional offices planned in North Carolina and Texas Matrisian had been with AssetMark for over 15 years holding multiple roles before becoming head of client growth in 2023 he was a vice president and director of practice acquisitions at Raymond James He said SEIA’s reputation and growth trajectory drew him to the firm Those growth plans will include a new program in which the RIA has started bringing over 1099 advisors into SEIA’s W-2 model Matrisian will focus on expanding services to SEIA advisors emphasizing “consistency across the firm’s client engagements.” He said SEIA is well-positioned to help second-generation advisors build up their practices “We’ve had success with individuals trained under some of our lead advisors,” he said “We have a scalable infrastructure within the firm that the advisors are tapping into that frees up their time allows them to drive consistency within their client base all of which lead to better client outcomes and facilitating their growth quicker than what they would otherwise." Related:Focus Financial Partners Promotes Birenbaum, Ferri to Key Executive Posts Matrisian noted that a pipeline for second-generation advisors is a crucial area partly because high valuations for RIAs have made it difficult for some second-generation advisors to buy into ownership at firms he said SEIA will look at firms in the $500 million to $5 billion range as well as firms that SEIA sees the potential to help them increase their organic growth “We want them to have supported independence,” he said Holmes said that SEIA has built a “cohesive integration team” for the firm’s acquisition activity He predicted “several deals before the end of the year.” Holmes also mentioned the wildfires in SEIA’s home state of California noting the firm had donated $250,000 to relief efforts Alex Ortolani is a New York-based senior reporter with WealthManagement.com with a focus on deals moves and trends in the registered investment advisor space In addition to financial and business reporting he has worked in media relations and corporate communications for tech firms and Fortune 500 companies RIA Edge 100: Growing Rapidly but Responsibly What truly sets peak performing retirement plans apart Tech Stacks & Growth Strategies for Future-Ready Advisory Firms Ask the Experts: Grow Your Practice with Philanthropy: Comparing DAFs and Private Foundations See how advisors are combining active and passive strategies for optimal portfolio results Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199 SEIA members are invited to join this webinar on February 27 at 1 PM ET Come learn about our approach with leading staff experts. You are invited to join our webinar on May 7th at 2:00 PM ET to learn how to identify These new factories and facilities are creating well-paying jobs throughout the country and enhancing American competitiveness around the globe The American-made manufacturing boom is in full swing Clean energy incentives are driving American companies to increase production and invest billions of dollars to expand domestic solar manufacturing capacity Solar manufacturing jobs are expected to more than triple over the next ten years growing from about 35,000 jobs today to 120,000 by 2033 These investments are making solar more accessible and affordable for communities across the country while transforming America into a clean energy manufacturing powerhouse Investing in the solar supply chain is also an investment in American energy independence Solar power helps us diversify our energy mix and reduce reliance on foreign energy sources bolstering energy security and insulating American families from the volatile price shifts of global oil markets and as the domestic solar supply chain strengthens America positions itself to dominate the clean energy economy America’s manufacturing renaissance is uplifting communities and transforming lives The announcements highlighted below are just a few examples of the massive investments and job creation happening across the nation In May, OMCO Solar opened its fifth U.S. manufacturing facility in Warsaw Warsaw and its neighbors in Indiana have long been dependent on fossil fuels as their main source of energy low grid-connection costs and the influx of manufacturing jobs are helping Warsaw and other communities across the Midwest benefit from solar growth The new OMCO facility will support the production of solar trackers which are used to optimize the amount of sunlight hitting the panels and maximize the energy they produce As Midwestern states build up their manufacturing capabilities Fueling the Solar Surge in the Peach State Dalton, Georgia is welcoming $2.5 billion in solar manufacturing investments that will support the entire supply chain and create more than 2,500 jobs. In Dalton, Qcells will add 2 GW of solar module assembly capacity bringing the company’s total solar panel production capacity in Georgia to 8.4 gigawatts by 2024 The Qcells facility is already having a ripple effect on nearby counties in Georgia In Cartersville, Georgia, Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia (HAGA) is building a new manufacturing facility that will supply encapsulant films for Qcells a critical material that helps to make solar cells more durable The new facility in Cartersville is a prime example of the cascading positive effects of solar investments in the United States and is expected to add $147 million in private investments and 160 jobs “The new plant will bring more than 160 new jobs to the Bartow area and will produce materials used to encapsulate solar cells and ensure long-term panel durability,” said Cartersville Mayor Matt Santini in a statement released by Governor Kemp’s office “Georgia is quickly becoming a leader of the American solar supply chain family sustaining jobs to Georgians of all backgrounds “Georgia is leading the nation in attracting next generation jobs,””¯said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp “Since we first welcomed Qcells to our state in 2018 we’ve announced more than 4,000 related jobs for hardworking Georgians We’re proud that Hanwha Advanced Materials is adding to that growing number as it becomes a valued member of the Bartow County community.” Arizona Charges Up Battery Cell Production U.S. battery developer Kore Power is partnering with Siemens to build a new battery cell factory in Buckeye, Arizona The plant will be one of the first gigafactories for battery cells in the United States that’s not affiliated with an automaker enabling it to serve a wider range of customers Now that standalone energy storage systems qualify for federal tax credits, increasing battery manufacturing capacity will be critical to meet the growing demand for home battery systems. By 2027, solar and storage attachment rates for residential solar are expected to reach 33% These numbers will only grow as battery prices drop and communities prioritize resilience Tennessee Solar Workers Anchor Manufacturing Growth Nextracker is working with MSS Steel Tubes USA on a new factory to manufacture low-carbon steel components for solar tracking systems in Memphis generate millions of dollars in local economic investment and support projects in Kentucky This facility showcases just how connected the solar supply chain already is in the southern United States Nextracker has already signed an agreement with Silicon Ranch to supply their projects throughout the region so does the solar workforce and the surrounding communities “I want to honor the workers here,” said SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper at the dedication of the new Memphis factory energy security and American manufacturing for the clean economy.” The American manufacturing renaissance is here thanks to bipartisan policies and investments solar supply chain are growing from coast to coast The newly released National Solar Jobs Census sent a clear message: American solar jobs are growing and are available to everyone Well-paying solar jobs are extending the benefits of America’s solar boom to Americans of all backgrounds — and they are not slowing down any time soon The newly released National Solar Jobs Census sent a clear message: American solar jobs are growing and are available to everyone solar industry is now home to more than 263,000 workers and supports jobs in all 50 states Despite trade uncertainty and supply chain challenges throughout 2022 America’s solar workforce remained resilient and is poised to grow rapidly in the coming years as federal energy incentives continue to drive investment and create economic opportunities in communities across the country Here are five things you need to know about the American solar workforce The solar industry is also attracting a high number of young people it is clear that Gen Z’s growing workforce will be an integral part of meeting America’s clean energy and climate goals and the solar industry has a head start on attracting this critical workforce Clean energy is on track to grow exponentially in the coming years, but to meet the United States’ ambitious clean energy goals, the solar workforce must grow to more than 1 million workers. That means removing as many barriers of entry as possible for prospective workers and investing in training and workforce development programs like the Solar Energy Industries Association’s Solar 101 Program 57% of all new solar jobs did not require a bachelor’s degree helping more Americans find a fulfilling career in the solar industry solar and storage companies are working hard to invest in mentorship and training programs to attract and retain talent from all backgrounds and the industry is seeing early signs of its success 33.6% of solar firms had a general mentorship program Increasing Diversity Strengthens the Solar Workforce more women and people of color have joined the solar and storage industry The solar workforce now outpaces the overall economy when it comes to employing veterans and companies have made considerable progress welcoming more women to the solar industry While this is major progress, equity must be at the center of growing the solar workforce and forming new or enhanced training programs will all be key in quickly welcoming hundreds of thousands of diverse professionals to the solar and storage workforce The clean energy incentives passed in 2022 are now driving American companies to expand their operations and invest billions of dollars in domestic solar manufacturing capacity These new factories and facilities are going to create well-paying jobs across the U.S while strengthening the solar supply chain Solar manufacturing jobs are expected to more than triple over the next ten years and grow to about 120,000 workers by 2033 Jobs in solar manufacturing will continue to grow this year as newly announced manufacturing plants come online The solar workforce is helping to provide opportunities in other sectors as well Clean energy storage is in the midst of an employment boom Solar and storage jobs work hand-in-hand to boost the reliability and accessibility of power and federal clean energy incentives are driving demand and solar deployment Thanks to clean energy incentives passed last year the solar and storage industry could add hundreds of thousands of workers over the next decade helping to get closer to the million workers needed to rapidly decarbonize the grid While the United States still has a long way to go the industry’s current workforce development and mentorship efforts are already paying off and will continue to pay dividends in the future if we stay the course and double down on these efforts according to new polling released today by Glo.. — Today the Bureau of Land Management released a final environmental review of the Western Solar Plan also known as the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) The Solar PEIS is a foundational environmental planning document that determines where solar development can occur on public lands in Arizona vice president of regulatory affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on the developments from BLM:  the Bureau of Land Management opened 31 million acres of federal lands to renewable energy development accepting many of SEIA’s recommendations to strike a better balance between its conservation and clean energy deployment goals “For over 12 years SEIA has advocated for leveling the playing field for renewables and increasing public land access for solar and storage development we’re pleased to see that BLM listened to much of the solar industry’s feedback and added 11 million acres to its original proposal While this is a step in the right direction fossil fuels have access to over 80 million acres of public land 2.5 times the amount of public land available for solar “One of the fastest ways to decarbonize our grid is to greenlight well-planned clean energy development on federal lands and the improvements to this environmental review document will certainly help We will continue to work with BLM and other federal agencies to promote responsible clean energy development on public lands and streamline the permitting process.” Jen Bristol, SEIA’s Senior Director of Communications, jbristol@seia.org (202) 556-2886