2013 was a very good year for solar energy in the United States. Installations were up. Prices were down. And as the infographic above highlights, the U.S. share of global installations is at a 30-year high and projected to grow in the coming years.
In another good sign for solar, much of the growth is being driven by middle-class homeowners. According to a report by the Center for American Progress looking at residential solar in Arizona, California and New Jersey, “installations are overwhelmingly occurring in middle-class neighborhoods that have median incomes ranging from $40,000 to $90,000.”
Globally solar shows no signs of slowing down either. Mercom Capital Group LLC recently forecast global solar installations around 43 GW in 2014 – a 15 percent increase over the 37.5 GW projected for 2013.
Infographic courtesy of GTM Research and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)