Solar Power Expansion in the United States

2023 was the first full year under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie released a new report highlighting that the solar industry in the United States deployed 32.4 GW of installed capacity last year, while almost doubling module manufacturing capacity from 8.5 to 16.1 GW. This represents an increase of over 50% from 2022 levels! The report provides an outlook on the future by including a "base case", "bull case" and "bear case". I am personally optimistic that we will continue to witness sustained growth in domestic solar generation and manufacturing capacity, regardless of the scenario/case ultimately prevails. “While we expect about 38 GWdc of capacity installations in 2024, typical volumes will be in the 48-50 GWdc range from 2030 onward,” the report says. “This is a reduction from our expectations in our last Year in Review report. While solar has an incredibly strong outlook, interconnection challenges are the main driver of lower expectations in the latter half of our outlook.” Sources: https://lnkd.in/g6QwFpWz https://lnkd.in/gMMcMByd #solarpower #solar #residential #commercial #industrial #utilityscale #energytransition #BESS #energystorage #interconnection #transmissionplanning

We just got some new US electricity data on Thursday. Net solar additions are way up. Wind and natural gas are falling. I’m talking about the new Electric Power Monthly report from the US Energy Information Administration. Data for July 2023 was just released. It’s one of my favorite reports to dive through each month. Just tons of really interesting data. The chart below shows trailing 12-month net capacity additions in Gigawatts (GW) from January 2011 through July 2023. We can clearly see how US power generation infrastructure is transforming under our feet. The growth in solar generation capacity is astonishing. In the last 12 months, we’ve added 14 GW of new solar. The next biggest add in that window is 7 GW for wind, followed by 3 GW of natural gas. In that same period, we’ve lost 13 GW of coal to retirements. It’s worth pointing out the trajectory of adds here. Trailing 12-month solar additions peaked in late 2021 and early 2022, fell a bit, but have now recovered back to their previous peak. But look at wind and natural gas. They’re both falling. Quickly. Wind peaked at 12 GW of net additions in the 12 months ending in October 2021. It’s been an aggressive ramp down to just 7 GW of net additions over the most recent 12 months. Something similar happened for natural gas. We had 15 GW of net additions in the 12 months ending in March 2019. But we’ve only added 3 net GW of capacity over the most recent 12 months. In aggregate, since 2011 we’ve added 105 GW of wind, 73 GW of solar, and 60 GW of natural gas. We’ve lost 101 GW of coal. That’s not exactly apples-to-apples though. These different technologies have meaningfully different capacity factors, meaning they generate different volumes of total electricity per GW of capacity. I weighted the net capacity addition for each technology by that technology’s reported capacity factor for the past 12 months. With this weighting, since 2011 we see that wind added 36 effective GW, solar added 18 GW, and natural gas added 24 GW. Coal lost 43 effective GW. Again, those last numbers are non-standard. They’re weighted by capacity factor. We know a GW of natural gas capacity produces more electricity than a GW of wind or solar. I wanted to account for that difference in the aggregate results. Still, even after adjusting the renewables downward relative to gas and coal, we see a strong remaking of US power infrastructure in the direction of wind and solar, with natural gas also growing, while coal continues to fall by the wayside. #energy #power #renewableenergy #wind #solar

There is a lot going on in the US solar supply chain, and it can be easy to get so focused on the trees that we miss the forest. In the last few days there have been a series of seemingly unconnected announcements that I think help paint that larger picture of a US solar industry that is rapidly expanding. The U.S. Energy Information Administration announced that solar additions will hit 36 GW this year, and that solar (53%) and storage (28%) will comprise 81% of new capacity additions in the US for 2024. Clean Energy Associates (CEA) estimated that by the end of 2024 there will be 35 GW of domestic PV module production capacity. GameChange Solar expects to have 35GW of tracker production capacity by the end of 2024, with 70-80% of the content being domestic, with Nextracker Inc. on a similar trajectory. SOLARCYCLE announced it is building a facility to produce solar glass from recycled solar glass. And here at the UItra Low-Carbon Solar Alliance we estimate that our members will have 20GW of EPEAT registered ultra low carbon solar panels in the market shortly. So while we still have work to do on the domestic PV supply chain, like meaningful wafer production capacity, we are seeing seeing growth throughout the solar supply chain in ways that is significantly reducing our reliance on and exposure to the challenging East Asia supply chain.

The U.S. is adding 53% more new solar capacity this year compared to last. And recent reports show private sector investment in clean energy projects and manufacturing rose to $271B in the last year — more than the previous eight years combined.       That’s some exciting momentum, but I also see it as a huge opportunity to define the character of American solar manufacturing. To me, it’s important to build up this industry in the right way, prioritizing qualities like safety, sustainability, transparency and equity.        So, looking critically at a project’s carbon footprint, powering operations with renewable energy, hiring and developing local workforces, setting high standards for suppliers and partners. These are the types of practices I hope to see throughout the industry as domestic solar production skyrockets in the U.S. #SolarManufacturing

Climate Change is Making Rooftop Solar an Even Hotter Investment 🌞📈 This groundbreaking UMich study reveals a hidden upside to our warming world - the financial returns of rooftop solar are set to soar. Here's what you need to know: 1️⃣ Act now for max benefits. Solar systems installed today will reap the biggest climate-driven gains as they operate into the 2050s. Waiting to go solar could mean leaving money on the table. 2️⃣ Location, location, location. While most cities will see solar values rise, some will benefit more than others. Incorporating regional climate projections into your solar ROI calculations is a must. 3️⃣ Cooling demand is 🔑. Hotter temps will drive up AC usage, making self-consumed solar power more valuable than grid exports. Businesses that electrify cooling loads & pair them with PV will be uniquely positioned to cash in. 4️⃣ Policy can level the playing field. Programs that expand solar access (think: subsidies, community solar, and LMI incentives) will be critical to ensuring equitable distribution of these climate-amplified gains. Opportunity alert: Packaging solar with heat pumps & efficiency upgrades could become the ultimate climate-resilient home bundle. HVAC contractors & solar installers, join forces! By 2050, climate-optimized solar + storage will be the norm for new homes & buildings, turning them into grid-supporting, money-saving clean energy assets. Could this solar value boom be the tipping point that accelerates the renewable energy transition in the US? How can we seize this moment to spur mass adoption? 🇺🇸🌞 #SolarSurge #ClimateWealth #RenewableRevolution #SolarSurge #FutureProofYourHome https://lnkd.in/gm3ifPRg

As a #realestate broker in Southeastern Oregon, I began exploring the renewable development potential of our region. With the increasing global focus on #renewableenergy, Oregon has shown a STRONG commitment to #solarenergy. Oregon's commitment to solar energy is also reflected in its various programs and initiatives. For instance, the state offers Renewable Energy Development Grants and a Solar + Storage Rebate Program. These factors and the state's commitment to renewable energy make Oregon a promising location for solar projects. The state's Renewable Energy Development Grants and Solar + Storage Rebate Program further incentivize solar energy development. A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 2012 estimated the annual technical potential for solar in Oregon at 1,775 terawatt hours, indicating a vast untapped potential. This potential is particularly evident in the counties of Lake, Harney, and Malheur, where I have identified three prime properties that could be an excellent fit for a solar project: 1. Harney County: A 440-acre property located at TL 700 Harney Lake Road, Burns. This property is fenced with power to the property and both well sites, offering great potential for solar development. 2. Harney County: A 416.28-acre property located at Oregon 78, Burns. This property is fully fenced and hosts one domestic well, with power located on the property and along both paved county roads. 3. Lake County: A 318-acre property at 2800 Christmas Valley Highway, Christmas Valley. While this land is undeveloped, it does have power at the road and could be developed with a "Conditional Use Permit" from Lake County. In addition to these properties, I have a network of ranch and land owners open to exploring #agrivoltaics opportunities. The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) provides technical and policy expertise to support renewable energy project development across the state. Their staff offers guidance on the quality of renewable resources, permitting and funding, and the overall development process for energy projects. The state offers several resources for renewable energy development, including Renewable Energy Development Grants. Oregon provides a favorable business climate for solar projects. As of Q1 2023, the state has installed 1,420 MW of solar power, ranking 21st nationally. This capacity is enough to power 172,596 homes. The state has seen a 54% decrease in solar prices over the last decade, making solar projects more financially viable. The state is home to 141 solar companies, including 21 manufacturers and 70 installers/developers, providing a robust industry ecosystem. The total solar investment in the state has reached $2.4 billion. Over the next five years, Oregon's solar capacity is projected to grow by 2831 MW. If you're a solar company exploring properties with solar potential, I would be interesting working with you.

Silver Lining of Solar Growth: The levelized cost of Solar power continue to come down with panel cost down ~65% over the last decade resulting in a $MW/h of solar power as low as ~$25 but averaging ~$40 (see BNEF). It’s driving record growth in solar production and panel mfg, with over ~1bn panels (assuming 500GW per year at 500 watt panels) expected to be mfg in 2024. Silver (& copper) is a key metal in PV production and and has grown to ~15% of total silver demand in 2023 from 5% in 2014 (see silver institute). Over the coming decades the current global silver supply could be exhausted by PV manufacturing. Circular solutions and innovation in panel manufacturing, along with localized supply chains will be key to managing the challenge of the massive solar build out. Are you ready to take on this challenge? Stephen Trauber Rick Polhemus Matt Bormann Patrick Layton Juan M. Thomas Roff #clentechhottake #energytransition #renewables #sustainability #innovation https://lnkd.in/gbSPrHHb

The US just reached a big milestone: The country's large-scale solar farms now make up 10% of electricity generation capacity. 10 years ago, almost no one would have predicted this. At that point, solar had just crossed 1% of generation capacity in the US. It was 2x as expensive as it is today. But the cost of solar—and the lithium-ion batteries that would soon be paired with most installations—plummeted. Solar quickly became the fastest-growth energy technology in US history. Congress and Trump have created a lot of new barriers for solar in recent months. I'll admit that I've found myself wondering recently if the growth can continue. But history shows that you shouldn't bet against this technology. -- Source: This milestone data comes from Cleanview's platform and recently launched interconnection queue API. We track 10,000+ planned projects across the country enabling this kind of analysis in a few minutes.