2018: Another Whirlwind Year for Solar

​As we kick off a new year, it’s time to reflect on what 2018 brought for solar and clean energy industries. Solar has continued to be a successful business and energy approach, proving to be one of the most affordable forms of renewable energy. The growth of solar capacity nationwide has set solar up as a top energy competitor, and made it considerably cheaper than fossil fuels.

The beginning of 2018 cast a shadow of doubt as federal regulations and tariffs seemed to hinder the growth of solar. These obstacles did affect the industry, but not as much as expected. Here are just a few highlights and solar successes of 2018 in Arizona and across the country:

Arizona:

Sunny Arizona has seen an increase in homes and businesses going solar over the past year. Even despite tariffs and regulations, solar energy continues to become more affordable. Within the last five years, the state has seen prices fall by 47%.

Arizona’s solar industry shined all year long. Our state ranked 6th in the nation for the most jobs in solar (totaling 8,381 solar jobs), and 3rd in the nation for capacity installed in quarter two (equaling 146 megawatts). With enough solar to power 536,000 homes, Arizona just keeps climbing in the ranks of solar potential.

AriSEIA and other organizations continue to work with the state to create economically and environmentally beneficial policies so that solar continues to grow. Some policies (such as the Prop 127 ballot measure) were not successful in 2018, so the state and solar community still have plenty of work ahead of us to find efficient, sustainable, and affordable solutions.

Nationwide:

The United States as a whole has seen a year to year increase in solar use, due mainly in part to California, New York, Maryland, and Maine’s newest solar regulations and projects. Since 2017, the solar capacity installed in the U.S has increased by 13 percent.

2018 as whole did not see as much growth as 2017, but still added 2.5 GW of installed photovoltaic power. As more and more states create successful renewable energy standards, the industry will continue to be the leading renewable energy source, as well as the most affordable one.

Let’s keep growing!

Arizona is seeing a glimpse of the success it needs in terms of growth, but policy and regulations are still lagging. In the new year, stay up-to-date with Arizona’s propositions and policies regarding solar energy to help ensure a more affordable and efficient energy future in the state.

Is going solar one of your resolutions for 2019? To install solar on your home or business with an ethical, efficient and affordable company, contact SunHarvest today!