SOLAR’S BIG YEAR COMING

Solar energy is poised for an unforgettable year

Chris Mooney, March 2, 2016 (Washington Post)

“…[I]n the coming year, the booming solar sector will add more new electricity-generating capacity than any other — including natural gas and wind…EIA reports that planned installations for 2016 include 9.5 gigawatts of utility-scale solar — followed by 8 gigawatts (or 8 billion watts) of natural gas and 6.8 gigawatts of wind. This suggests solar could truly blow out the competition, because the EIA numbers are only for large or utility-scale solar arrays or farms and do not include fast-growing rooftop solar, which will also surely add several additional gigawatts of capacity in 2016…U.S. solar seems poised for not just a record year but perhaps a blowout year…[Solar Energy Industries Association numbers, expressed in direct current (DC) versus alternating current (AC), are] 11.8 gigawatts of utility-scale solar photovoltaic installations [and 4 gigawatts of residential and commercial solar additions, for over 15 gigawatts in total, consistent with the EIA AC numbers. The main driver of this yerar’s boom is the extension of the 30% federal] investment tax credit…” click here for more

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