The US installed 11.8 GW DC of solar capacity in the first quarter of 2024, marking the industry’s second-best quarter after the final quarter of 2023 and bringing the country’s total capacity to 200 GW, according to a new report today.
The latest quarterly report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, also shows that the US commissioned a record 11 GW of new solar module manufacturing capacity in the first quarter of the year and now has the capacity to produce more than 26 GW of solar modules a year.
“This quarter proves that new federal investments in clean energy are revitalizing American manufacturing and strengthening our nation’s energy economy,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper.
Based on new data from 2023, the US added over 40 GW of solar capacity last year. It is expected to install another 40 GW in 2024.
According to the report, solar represented 75% of all new electricity-generating capacity brought on the US grid in the first quarter of the year.
The utility-scale market installed nearly 10 GW of new capacity in the quarter, led by Florida and Texas.
The residential segment saw its lowest quarter in two years at 1.3 GW, down 25% year-over-year, reflecting the continued impact of high interest rates and the transition to net billing in California.
The commercial and community solar markets were flat year-over-year.
“The US solar industry continues to show strength in terms of deployments,” said Michelle Davis, head of global solar at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report. “At the same time, the solar industry faces a number of challenges to its continued growth including availability of labor, high voltage equipment constraints, and continued trade policy uncertainty,” Davis added.
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