The solar market, although relatively young, is an increasingly important and vital part of the American economy. What are the trends in this market, and what forces are at work? Which sectors of the market are strongest, and why? What are the prospects for solar energy in the near future? This session presented the results from the recently published IREC Report, U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012.

1. U.S. Solar Market Trends
Larry Sherwood
IREC
IREC 3iForum at SPI
October 2013

2. Federal Tax Policy

3. U.S. Distributed PV Cost Trends
$9
$8
$7
$6
$5
Residential
$4
Non-residential
$3
$2
$1
$2009
2010
2011
2012

5. R enew able P ortfolio Standard P olicies
w ith Solar / Distributed Generation P rovisions.
www.dsireusa.org / March 2013.
16 states,+
Washington DC have
Renewable Portfolio
Standards with Solar
and/or Distributed
Generation provisions

7. Capacity of Annual U.S.
Grid-Tied PV Installations
4000
3500
Capacity (MWDC)
3000
2500
Utility
2000
Non-Residential
Residential
1500
1000
500
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012

8. 2012 New U.S. Electricity
Generation
Wind
Natural Gas
PV
Coal
Other

9. Times have Changed
2006
2008
2012
35%
7%
16%
25% 65%
53%
68%
31%
Residential
NonResidential
Utility

10. Large systems are almost half of
the capacity installed in 2012
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
> 5 MW - 61 installs
< 5 MW - 94,500 installs

11. 2012 PV Installations by State
U.S. Territories
300 – 1000 MW
100 – 300 MW
10 – 100 MW
1 – 10 MW
< 1 MW

12. Utility Sector
MWDC
By State
By State & PG&E
Utility Annual Installed Capacity
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Other
Other
AZ
NJ
NJ
NC
NC
PG&E
NV
NV
AZ
CA
2008
2009
CA
2010
2011
2012

13. Non-residential
By State
1200
1000
Other
800
600
HI
NY
400
CA
OH
AZ
200
NJ
MA
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
Non-Residential Sector
2012

14. Residential Sector
Residential Average Size
Other
MWDC
600
90,000
7.0
80,000
500
6.0
70,000
400
60,000
5.0
50,000
300
4.0
40,000
3.0
200
30,000
2.0
20,000
100
1.0
10,000
0
0
0.0
Residential Installed Capacity
Residential Annual Number of Installations
By State
kW-dc
MA
CA
NY
CO
NJ
AZ
2008
2008
2008
2009
2009
2009
HI
2010
2010
2010
2011
2011
2011
2012
2012
2012

15. Cumulative U.S. Grid-tied
Solar Electric Installations
9,000
8,000
7,000
MW-dc
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

16. irecusa.org/publications

17. THANKS to our generous sponsors for the
2013 3iForum and 3iAwards

18. Thank you
Larry Sherwood
Larry@irecusa.org