A brand new report from two main power business teams mentioned a file 11 GW of recent solar energy module manufacturing capability entered service through the first three months of this 12 months, representing the most important quarter of photo voltaic manufacturing progress in U.S. historical past.
The Photo voltaic Vitality Industries Affiliation (SEIA) and Wooden Mackenzie of their U.S. Photo voltaic Market Perception Q2 2024 report launched June 6 mentioned that complete U.S. photo voltaic module manufacturing capability is now greater than 26 GW yearly. The report mentioned the U.S. now has about 200 GW of put in solar energy era capability, together with 11.8 GW of recent capability this 12 months—second solely to the fourth quarter of 2023—after including greater than 40 GW of recent era in 2023.
Wooden Mackenzie initiatives that the U.S. photo voltaic business will set up one other 40 GW of era capability this 12 months.
“This quarter proves that new federal investments in clear power are revitalizing American manufacturing and strengthening our nation’s power economic system,” mentioned SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Whether or not it’s a billion-dollar funding in a close-by photo voltaic undertaking or a brand new manufacturing plant using a whole bunch of native staff, the photo voltaic and storage business is uplifting communities in each state throughout this nation.”
The U.S. added nearly 10 GW of recent utility-scale solar energy era capability within the first quarter of this 12 months, led by new installations in Texas and Florida.
“The U.S. photo voltaic business continues to point out power when it comes to deployments,” mentioned Michelle Davis, head of world photo voltaic at Wooden Mackenzie and lead writer of the report. “On the similar time, the photo voltaic business faces plenty of challenges to its continued progress together with availability of labor, high-voltage gear constraints, and continued commerce coverage uncertainty.”
The report mentioned that complete U.S. photo voltaic capability is predicted to double over the following 5 years, reaching 438 GW by 2029.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
