Installed solar capacity across the U.S. between January and April 2013 has grown 142 percent since the same period in 2012.
In the first four months of 2013, 845 MW of solar capacity was installed through 56 projects. That’s compared to just 348 MW from 94 projects over the same time in 2012, indicating that the average project size has also increased.
The figures come from the latest U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Energy Infrastructure Update, which found that 33 MW of solar went live in April.
First Solar employees at an installation in Nevada. Credit: First Solar
However, solar makes up only 0.44 percent of total electricity generating capacity in the U.S., with 5.14 GW.
Some of the large installations that went live include:
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SolarVision’s 5 MW Celina Solar Project I in Mercer County, Ohio, which will produce enough power to meet about 8 percent of the City of Celina’s total energy demand.
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Arizona Public Service Co.’s 17 MW Foothills Solar Power Plant in Yuma, Arizona.
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Light Beam Energy Inc’s 1.7 MW Gridley Main One Solar and 2.5 MW Gridley Main Two Solar in Butte County, California, which will be sold to the City of Gridley and to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit under long-term contracts, respectively.
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Hannon Strong Solar LLC’s 1.4 MW Fort Bliss Solar in El Paso County, Texas; the power generated is sold to the U.S. Army Fort Bliss under a long-term contract.
