US adds 930 MW of solar capacity in Q3 2013 - SEIA

Dec 10, 2013 - The US installed 930 MW of photovotlaic (PV) power capacity in the third quarter of 2013 while the figure is set to reach 4,268 MW for 2013 rising 27% on the year, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said today.

In its Solar Market Insight Report 2013 Q3, created together with GTM Research, the association notes that the US’ cumulative installed capacity for this year is to surpass that of Germany for the first time in more than a decade. Although the US forecast was slightly lowered from 4,372 MW previously, the result is still above the 4,200 MW projected for Germany.

The 930-MW result for July-September represents an increase of 20% quarter-on-quarter and 35% year-on-year. The association said that the achieved capacity represents the second largest quarterly result in the history of the US solar market. The utility segment registered a 74% jump to 539 MW after 52 projects were completed in the reporting three months. Capacity in the residential segment rose to record-high 186 MW. Meanwhile, the non-residential segment was hit by several contracting state markets and is expected to remain flat in 2013.

SEIA guided for total PV installations of 1,780 MW in the closing quarter of the year, plus 800 MW of concentrated solar power (CSP). New utility-scale solar plants are expected to stand at 1,000 MW.

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