The United States is one of the largest producers of solar power in the world and has been a pioneer in solar adoption, with major projects across different technologies, mainly photovoltaic, concentrated solar power, and
Identifying the leading regions for solar energy in the United States is crucial. Areas with high sunlight exposure—defined as the amount of sunlight received in a specific area—can significantly optimize electricity
Finally, in Section 5, we identify limitations to the existing solar land-use datasets and suggest additional analyses that could aid in evaluating land use and impacts associated with the
Solar energy in the United States is booming. Along with our partners at Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, SEIA tracks trends and trajectories in the solar industry that demonstrate the
Residential solar power still generates less electricity than large utility-scale solar, such as solar panel farms. And all solar power together generates only a small amount
The United States has vowed to increase oil and gas production. Yet a shift to renewable energy and other market forces are also influencing the sector.
OverviewSolar potentialHistorySolar photovoltaic powerConcentrated solar power (CSP)Government supportSee alsoFurther reading
Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2024, utility-scale solar power generated 218.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) in the United States. Total solar generation that year, including estimated small-scale photovoltaic generation, was 303.2 TWh. As of the end of 2024, the United States had 239 gigawatts (G
Top 10 states for utility- and small-scale solar (combined) generation in 2023. Find data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the full dataset.
The United States is undergoing a clean energy revolution, and solar energy will play an important role in that transition. The country can build upon the success in solar innovation and growth of
Renewable energy production in the U.S. 2005-2024, by source Net generation of renewable electricity in the United States from 2005 to 2024, by source (in terawatt hours)
In 2022, wind energy contributed 10.1% of the total electricity generated in the United States. Wind and solar together produced 14.8% of U.S. electricity in 2022, growing from the 13% recorded in 2021.
History shows that advances in renewable energy often follow crises: In the 1970s, oil embargos caused the cost of oil to quadruple, spurring efforts to reduce American
In 2020, renewable energy sources (including wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy) generated a record 834 billion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity, or about 21% of all the electricity
This solar installation, the United States'' largest rooftop system, was commissioned to help Alameda County reduce and stabilize future energy costs. This smart energy project reduces
Solar energy is expanding rapidly in the US, which now has enough capacity to power 16% of homes. Ramping up renewables is crucial for meeting net-zero goals.
Discover how and where solar energy is used in the US. Learn which states lead in solar adoption and explore the top applications of photovoltaic power.
Chicago will run all public buildings and city operations on 100% renewable energy by 2026, to help achieve a 62% emissions reduction by 2040.
Charting the Rise of Solar Energy in the United States Solar energy has undergone a significant transformation in the United States, evolving from a novel concept to a central element in the country''s energy mix. This
What role does renewable energy play in the United States? Until the mid-1800s, wood was the source of nearly all the nation''s energy needs for heating, cooking, and
EERE''s applied research, development, and demonstration activities aim to make renewable energy cost-competitive with traditional sources of energy. Learn more about EERE''s work in
Reading time: 4 minutesSolar power in the United States has a lengthy history —the first U.S. patents for solar cells were filed in the 1880s, and the first commercially viable solar cell was produced by Bell Labs in 1954.
Solar energy has continued to grow rapidly across the United States in 2024, cementing its position as a crucial component of the nation''s renewable energy strategy. Advances in solar technology, combined with
The Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Futures Study, released in 2021, outlines how solar energy could play a role in decarbonizing the United States'' power grid, supplying as much as 40% of the nation''s electricity by 2035.
Solar penetration in the United States stood at roughly 5.4 percent in 2023, that is, solar accounted for5.4 percent of the electricity generated across the country that year.
The current United States government administration has an executive order blocking all federal permits and land leases for onshore and offshore wind projects in the US.
Solar energy is the fastest growing and most affordable source of new electricity in America. As the cost of solar energy systems dropped significantly, more Americans and businesses are taking advantage of clean
Biofuels, wind, and solar production each set records in 2024, contributing to record total renewable energy production in the United States. In 2024, U.S. total biofuels
The SEIA report tallies all types of solar energy, and in 2007 the United States installed 342 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) electric power, 139 thermal megawatts (MW th) of solar water heating, 762 MW th of pool heating, and 21 MW th of solar space heating and cooling.
The United States conducted much early research in photovoltaics and concentrated solar power. It is among the top countries in the world in electricity generated by the sun and several of the world's largest utility-scale installations are located in the desert Southwest.
U.S. flips switch on massive solar power array that also stores electricity: The array is first large U.S. solar plant with a thermal energy storage system Archived July 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, October 10, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
Solar energy is used all over the world, and like the United States, global solar electricity generation has increased substantially. Total world solar electricity generation grew from 0.4 billion kWh in 1990 to about 1,280 billion kWh (1.3 trillion kWh) in 2022.
In 2023, California accounted for the largest percentage share of total utility-scale solar electricity generation (25%), followed by Texas (17%). California accounted for nearly 40% of total generation from small-scale PV systems. Most small-scale PV systems are installed on or near buildings.
As of April 2018, there were total capacity of 2,562 MW of commercial solar installations from more than 4,000 companies in 7,400 locations. Top five corporations were Target, Walmart, Prologis, Apple, and Kohl's.
