Full Title: US Solar Market Insight - Q3 2016 - Executive Summary
Author(s): Solar Energy Industries Association
Publisher(s):
Publication Date: September 1, 2016
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
- The U.S. installed 2,051 MWdc of solar PV in Q2 2016, increasing 43% over Q2 2015.
- In the first half of 2016, solar accounted for 26% of all new electric generating capacity brought on-line in the U.S.
- Installing 650 MWdc, residential PV grew only slightly over Q1 2016 but had its largest quarter ever while growing 29% year over year.
- California accounted for 42% of rooftop PV installations in Q2 – its lowest share since Q4 2012 – as markets in states like Utah and Texas begin to account for larger shares of the residential segment.
- While only 7 states added more than 25 MW of rooftop PV in the first half of 2015, 11 states added more than 25 MW over the same period in 2016, continuing a trend of geographic demand diffusion.
- Despite adding less than 10 MW in Q2, community solar is expected to add 100 MW in 2016.
- Over a gigawatt of utility-scale solar was installed for the third consecutive quarter as that segment continues to build out more than 7.8 GWdc of additional projects expected to come online in 2016.
- GTM Research forecasts that 13.9 GWdc of new PV installations will come on-line in 2016, up 85% over 2015. Utility PV is expected to drive the majority of demand, accounting for over 70% of new capacity.