Utility solar prices in US fall to USD 1.85/W in Q1 2014

May 29, 2014 - The average price for US utility-scale solar power plants declined to USD 1.85 (EUR 1.36) per watt in the first quarter of 2014 from USD 2.14/W a year ago and from USD 1.96/W in October-December 2013.

The Solar Market Insight Report, published today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research, shows that utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) installations in January-March have reached 873 MW, direct current (DC), contributing the most to the 1,330 MW of total newly-added PV capacity. The country now has 13,395 MW DC of solar PV capacity.

In the non-residential solar systems segment, prices dropped to USD 3.72/W, or 5.7% less on the year. They were up by 4% in quarterly terms. Most of the PV installations in the sector in the reporting period were high-priced projects of governments and non-profit organisations in California, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

Residential system prices lost 7% year-over-year and 1% quarter-on-quarter and arrived at USD 4.56/W. Prices fell in most key residential markets such as California, Arizona, Massachusetts and New York. The lowest reported pricing was in Florida -- USD 3.28/W.

SEIA and GTM project that the US will install total of 6,600 MW of new PV parks in 2014.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.735)

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