Utility-scale solar power generation grew 31 times over a decade
Electricity output of utility-scale solar generators in the United States grew more than 31 times in the decade between June 2005 and June 2015.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Association (EIA), solar power generation from utility-scale facilities reached a monthly record high in June 2015. This June 2015 solar generation is 35.8 percent higher than a year earlier in June 2014 and more than 31 times higher than a decade earlier.
Yearly growth driven by photovoltaic capacity expansion
The main reason for the yearly increase, the EIA said, was the continued growth of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. PV capacity increased 47.5 percent in that same time frame (June 2014 to June 2015).
Record utility-scale #solar #electricity generation driven by photovoltaics in June 2015 http://t.co/svhpyXmpFC #PV pic.twitter.com/oOt6tQCcsa
— EIA (@EIAgov) August 28, 2015
According to the report, June is a great month to measure solar electricity output because that month historically has the highest average amount of sunlight per day.
California leads the way
The majority of total utility-scale solar generation occurs in the state of California. In June 2015, more than half (56.5 percent) of all solar power generation originated from plants in California.
Arizona came in a distant second in solar generation in June 2015, accounting for 13.4 percent of total amounts. North Carolina was third that month at 6.7 percent, followed by Nevada (6.4 percent), and New Jersey (3.3 percent).
Source → EIA
