According to a report released by the U.S. Energy Administration and cited by the Solar Industries Association (SEIA), solar energy will play a bigger role in the United States in coming years.
Between now and 2040, most new electric generation capacity will come from natural gas and renewable energy. Roughly half of this renewable energy is expected to come from solar photovoltaic systems. Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA, says the growth in solar energy will also create thousands of American jobs, help to boost the economy, and greatly reduce pollution. Additionally, an expansion in solar energy will provide individuals, organizations, and companies with better choices when it comes to power.
According to Resch, 60 percent of new PV installations in coming years will be rooftop solar. However, Resch worries that this growth could be be compromised by fossil fuel interests. In response, the SEIA is urging Congress to adopt “commence construction” standard this year. This would allow project developers to take advantage of the solar investment tax credit (ITC). The SEIA also reported that applying the “commence construction” standard across the renewable energy sector would drive the installation of an additional 4 GW of solar capacity in 2017 and 2018.
For more information, read the full article in Solar Industry Magazine.