US has 2 million PV systems today, to double that by 2023

The US now has more than 2 million solar systems installed and that number is expected to double by 2023, according to Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

The country actually reached that milestone one year later than previously expected, mainly because of a decline in residential installations after SolarCity/Tesla changed their course. Residential solar represents 96% of the 2 million in this analysis, which is no surprise given that the focus is on numbers and not capacity. Here small rooftop arrays and huge solar farms have the same weight for the final count.

The 2 million photovoltaic (PV) systems have a combined capacity of over 70 GW, producing enough to power more than 12 million US households.

California was responsible for 51% of the first million solar systems in the US, but its share fell to 43% for the second mission as the popularity of residential solar grew in other state markets like South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Florida, Rhode Island, and Maryland.

“According to our latest forecasts, by 2024, there will be on average, 1 solar installation per minute,” said Michelle Davis, Senior Solar Analyst with Wood Mackenzie. In 2020 that rate was 1 solar installations per 10 minutes.

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