Solar topped natural gas and wind to claim a record share of new U.S. electric generating capacity last year, at nearly 40%, boosted by a vibrant residential sector that looks healthier than it has in years.
2019 was a landmark year for the American power sector on several fronts. Wind crossed the 100-GW threshold, and it overtook hydroelectric plants in total electricity generated. But solar stole the show, with four out of every 10 MW of capacity built last year represented by a PV panel.
All told, the country added 13.3 GW of new solar last year, bringing the cumulative total to 76 GW, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight report, published quarterly by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.
Solar accounted for 39.8% of new U.S. generating capacity brought online last year, blowing past natural gas at 32% and wind at 27%. It's just the second time that solar was the leading source of new capacity, and the first since 2016.
It's hard to ignore the booming utility-scale market, which accounted for 8.4 GW of last year's solar additions, and where the development pipeline now stands at a record 48.1 GW. The large-scale market is underpinned by the proliferation of state renewables mandates, rising corporate demand and costs that continue to drop in spite of the Trump administration's solar import tariffs.
Arguably the most exciting market segment, however, was the one centered on people's homes. Residential solar installations have now fully recovered from the market contraction of a few years back — when then-leader SolarCity was acquired by Tesla — with a record 2.8 GW added in 2019.
(Writing by Becky Du Editing by Tammy Yang)
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