In 2020, the installed capacity of new solar energy in the United States exceeded 19 GW, a record high

In 2020, the United States added 19.
2 GW of new solar installed capacity, an increase of 43% year-on-year, and also exceeded the previous record level of 15.
1 GW in 2016
.

According to a report released Tuesday by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, new installations reached a record 8 GW
in the fourth quarter of 2020.

Abigail Ross Hopper, Chairman of SEIA, said, "After a slowdown due to the pandemic in the second quarter, the solar industry innovated and continued our trajectory
as a major source of new energy in the United States.
”

In 2020, solar accounted for 43%
of new electricity generation in the United States.
This is followed by wind power, which accounts for 38%.

The utilities sector recorded 6.
3 GW in the fourth quarter and nearly 14 GW for the full year
.

Despite the pandemic's impact on new residential installations in the first half of 2020, it was still up 11% year-over-year for the full year to a record 3.
1 GW
.
Non-residential installations fell 4% to 2 GW
.

By state, the states with the highest solar installations are California (3.
9 GW), Texas (3.
4 GW), Florida (2.
8 GW) and Virginia (1.
4 GW).

Michelle Davis of Wood Mackenzie expects the recent two-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to increase solar power by
2025.
According to the consulting firm, solar power capacity in the United States will increase from the current 100 GW to 419 GW
by 2030.