Trends in Solar Photovoltaics (PV)

Industry Growth

The U.S. installed 6,201 MWdc of solar PV in 2014, up 30 percent over 2013, making 2014 the largest year ever in terms of PV installations.
More than one-third of all cumulative operating PV capacity in the U.S. came on-line in 2014.
By the end of 2014, 20 states eclipsed the 100 MWdc mark for cumulative operating solar PV installations, and California’s market alone is home to 8.7 GWdc.
For the first time ever, more than half a gigawatt of residential solar installations came on-line without any state incentive in 2014.
32 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the U.S. came from solar in 2014.
Growth remains driven primarily by the utility solar PV market, which installed 1.5 GWdc in Q4 2014, the largest quarterly total ever for any market segment.
SEIA forecast that PV installations will reach 8.1 GWdc in 2015, up 31 percent over 2014. Growth will occur in all segments, but will be most rapid in the residential market.

Over the next 12 months, employers surveyed expect to see total employment in the solar industry increase by 20.9% to 210,060 solar workers.
One out of every 78 new jobs created in the U.S. since Census 2013 was created by the solar industry – representing 1.3% of all new jobs.
Of the 173,807 solar workers in the United States, approximately 157,500 are 100% dedicated to solar activities.
Wages paid to solar workers remain competitive with similar industries and provide many living-wage opportunities.

Solar homes sold 20% faster and for 17% more that the equivalent non-solar homes across several subdivisions construction by different builders.

Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy07osti/38304-01.pdf