U.S. Immigration focus on U.S. business immigration: In the second quarter of 2015, the U.S. solar industry continued to break records, with total solar photovoltaic capacity exceeding 20 GW.
According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Report for Q2 2015, released by renewable energy market research firm GTM Research (Boston) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (Washington, D.C., SEIA), the U.S. installed 1,393 megawatts of PV capacity in the previous quarter, continuing its annual and quarterly growth trend.
Residential PV market grows 70% year-over-year
The residential solar PV market set another quarterly record in the second quarter. Total installed capacity reached 473 megawatts (MW), a 70% increase compared to the same period last year. More importantly, the residential market is showing diversification, with 10 states each installing over 10 MW in the second quarter. In contrast, only 4 states reached that level of residential solar installation in the same quarter of 2013, indicating significant growth.
The non-residential market declined by 33% year-over-year. However, community solar continues to grow in the U.S., and the market dynamics in several states, combined with ongoing financial innovation, suggest that the solar industry will experience rapid growth from the second half of 2015 onwards.
Utility-scale PV development is at a historic high
It is reported that 729 megawatts of utility-scale solar PV projects came online in the second quarter of this year, accounting for more than half (52%) of the national quarterly total. Because the U.S. Department of Energy has decided to phase out the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) by the end of 2016, utility-scale development is reaching a historic high, with over 500 GW of PV projects currently under construction. The utility-scale PV market remains the cornerstone driving the growth of PV projects. From the second half of this year through 2016, solar growth is expected to hit new highs.
Solar power generation can meet the electricity needs of 4.6 million U.S. households
In the first half of 2015, U.S. PV installations were estimated at 2.7 GW. Significant growth is expected in the second half of the year, and the U.S. is on track to set a new record of 7.7 GW this year.
"Solar demand is higher now than ever before, and this report clearly illustrates how critical it is to implement smart, effective, and forward-looking public policies like the ITC in the U.S. beyond 2016," said Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA. "With U.S. solar PV installations reaching 20 GW, solar power can meet the electricity needs of 4.6 million U.S. households and reduce harmful carbon emissions by more than 25 million metric tons annually. Since the U.S. passed the ITC policy in 2006, solar energy has experienced explosive growth, created over 150,000 solar jobs in the U.S., and achieved tremendous success in both economic growth and environmental protection."