"Solar has become an economic engine for America.
The government can lower costs, while increasing jobs."

Rhone Resch,
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

The utilization of solar energy in the U.S. has seen a huge upswing. Research and development efforts, as well as increasing support for this market segment have helped a competitive solar sector emerge.

Photovoltaic (PV):

• By the end of 2008, around 1.1 GW of PV-capacity had been installed in the U.S.
• The states seeing the most new development are California, New Jersey, Colorado, and Nevada. These states have all implemented attractive incentive programs over the last several years.
• The U.S. company, First Solar is the world's largest producer of PV modules.

Solar Thermal Power:

• The installed capacity of solar thermal power generation (Concentrated Solar Power - CSP) reached approximately 420 MW by the end of 2008.
• California's CSP facilities have 350 MW of that capacity, and Nevada has 65 MW in operation.
• At the present time, approximately 80 MW worth of new CSP-generating capacity is under construction.

 

Source: U.S. DoE, "2008 Renewable Energy Data Book"