Future looks bright for US solar

Solar PV again made the greatest contribution to new capacity last year, and the probable extension of policy incentives will help the sector thrive

The US solar industry installed over 19GW of capacity in 2020 and is on track to add a further 324GW by 2031 to reach a total of 419GW, according to analysis by the US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Solar PV accounted for the greatest contribution to power generation capacity in the US for the second successive year due to falling costs and ongoing policy incentives. The 2031 forecast is based only on already-announced policies and could therefore be an underestimate. If the Biden administration legislates for more long-term incentives, which would be in line with its prioritisation of the climate agenda, the estimates would increase further.

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