Record Year Concludes for Utility-Scale Solar

With the energy generating business in upheaval, utility-scale solar energy projects have done well since 2009, culminating in a record year for installation in 2013.

1 minute read

January 31, 2014, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Mark Jaffe details the findings of a report by SNL Energy that provides statistics on the largest year ever for the installation of utility-scale solar projects around the country.

“Utility-scale solar set a record with 2.3 gigawatts installed 2013, with bulk of the construction in California, Arizona and Nevada…”

The 2013 totals represent a 35 percent improvement on 2012, the previous record year for installation. The record numbers continue a narrative of steady growth for the industry: “Utility-scale solar has been the fastest growing electricity generation source since 2009 – up 23 percent…”

The SNL data echoes recent reports indicating that the boom might be coming to a close: “The U.S. has 35,700 MW of utility-scale solar capacity in development, with 17,675 MW scheduled to come online by the end of 2016…”

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 in Denver Post

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