U.S. residential solar market breaks quarterly installation record, with 712 megawatts installed
The U.S. residential solar market reached a new record for solar installations in the third quarter of 2019, according to a recently released U.S. Solar Market Insight report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.
According to the report, the U.S. residential solar market saw 712 megawatts of installations. In total, the U.S. solar market installed 2.6 gigawatts during the quarter, increasing total U.S. solar capacity to 71.3 gigawatts. The U.S. solar market grew 45 percent year-over-year.
“This positive report makes clear that American families are demanding energy choice and solar, and that our industry is ready to deliver,” SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said. “This is the kind of growth and investment we could see going forward if we make smart policy moves, like extending the solar Investment Tax Credit and stopping additional tariffs. Failure to make these policy moves will limit deployment potential and cost jobs.”
The report also found that 15 states reached new residential solar installation records in the third quarter of 2019, including states with relatively small solar markets such as Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Iowa.
California, which is the largest residential solar market, also broke its quarterly record, installing nearly 300 megawatts.
“While California has always led the country in solar deployment, the drivers behind that growth have shifted,” Austin Perea, senior solar analyst for Wood Mackenzie, said. “This is primarily due to new-build solar demand and increased consumer interest in solar + storage solutions as a result of public safety power shutoffs that have left hundreds of thousands of utility customers in the dark.”
Wood Mackenzie forecasts that the total amount of solar installed in the United States in 2019 will reach 13 gigawatts, representing 23 percent annual growth.
