The solar industry has been rapidly expanding throughout the U.S. thanks to lower costs, increased research & development, and a greater societal awareness of the benefits of solar energy. Residential energy consumers can save on their utility bills, landowners can generate revenue with solar land leases, and community solar is democratizing renewable energy access for citizens of varying income levels. With the solar sector diversifying and energy consumers embracing renewables, installed solar capacity has skyrocketed across the country. Where is this capacity being installed? Read out on to learn about the top 10 solar states in 2021.
The Top 10 Solar States in the U.S. in 2021
Below are the top 10 solar states in 2021, ranked by cumulative solar capacity installed. These figures are taken from the SEIA/GTM Research Solar Market Insight Report, which you can read about here.
#1. California
California remains the king of solar energy, with a capacity of 32,394 MW—the equivalent of 8,430,324 homes powered by solar.
#2. Texas
The runner-up is Texas, totalling 11,063 MW of capacity, which is enough to supply 1,297,592 homes with solar energy.
#3. Florida
Florida takes the third spot with a total capacity of 7,681 MW. This is enough solar energy for 908,181 homes.
#4. North Carolina
North Carolina comes in fourth place. A total solar capacity of 7,228 MW is the equivalent of 846,689 homes getting energy from solar.
#5. Arizona
Fifth on the list is Arizona with 6,112 MW of capacity. This is enough to provide 907,817 homes with solar-generated electricity.
#6. Nevada
Nevada is sixth. Its total capacity is 4,209 MW—equivalent to enough solar-generating capacity to power 695,487 homes in the state.
#7. New Jersey
Next on the list is New Jersey with a solar capacity of 3,739 MW, which is equal to enough solar energy for 579,252 homes.
#8. Massachusetts
Massachusetts is number eight on the list. Its total solar capacity of 3,381 MW means the state is capable of producing enough solar power for 552,186 homes.
#9. Georgia
The ninth entry on the list is Georgia with 3,249 MW of capacity. This is the equivalent of enough solar energy for 373,248 homes.
#10. New York
Rounding out the top 10 solar states is New York. NY’s solar capacity of 2,990 MW is equal to enough solar-generated electricity for 483,665 homes.
Top 10 Solar States 2021 Infographic
The graphic below, courtesy of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), visualizes the information outlined in this article, exploring the top 10 solar states in the country. You can also download a PDF of the infographic here.
Want to go solar? Reach out to YSG today. Whether it’s residential solar, commercial solar, community solar, or even a solar land lease, we can help. YSG has been working in the solar industry for over 10 years and is vastly experienced in everything from rooftop residential projects to large-scale solar farms. Call the office at 212.389.9215 or send us an email to learn how much you could save with solar.
YSG Solar is a project development company responsible for commoditizing energy infrastructure projects. We work with long-term owners and operators to provide clean energy assets with stable, predictable cash flows. YSG's market focus is distributed generation and utility-scale projects located within North America.
Sources:
https://www.seia.org/research-resources/top-10-solar-states-0
