Top 10 Solar States in the USA [Infographic]
2013 TOP 10 SOLAR STATES
State ranking based on the amount of solar electric capacity installed in 2013.
- California
Reigning Champ
2745.8MW
607,689 homes
Half of all solar capacity ever added in California was installed in 2013. - Arizona
Soaking Up the Sun
700.7MW
126,894 homes
In 2014, the use of solar in Arizona will save enough water to fill 25,000 swimming pools. - North Carolina
Powering the Internet
335.4MW
31,809 homes
The solar installed at data centers in North Carolina produces enough electricity to power over 213,000 computers. - Massachusetts
Solar All-Stars
237.2MW
38,504 homes
There 47 solar panels in Massachusetts for every seat at Fenway Park. - New Jersey
Tri-state Solar Powerhouse
235.6MW
33,701 homes
New Jersey, along with 6 other states, got 100% of their new electrical capacity from solar. - Hawaii
Solar Paradise
150.6MW
29,804 homes
As of 2013, more than 1 in 9 homes in Hawaii have installed solar. - Georgia
Solar Peach
90.9MW
8,405 homes
Georgia is the fastest-growing solar market in the nation. - Texas – Related: Solar Panels in Texas
One to Watch
75.2MW
6,973 homes
There is enough solar potential in Texas to power the world twice over. - New York
A Solar State of Mind
69.4MW
10,731 homes
There are more solar installations in New York State than taxi cabs in New York City. - Colorado
A Solar Buzz
55.9MW
10,090 homes
The Colorado solar industry generates as much revenue as its top-ranked craft brewing industry.
Solar Installed in 2013 (MW)
Homes powered by solar: 10,000 homes (an estimate of the number of homes powered per megawatt of solar capacity added in 2013, including both photovoltaic and concentrating solar power)
TOP 10 SOLAR STATES REMIXED
Number of Solar Jobs
1. 47,100 California
2. 8,300 Arizona
3. 6,500 New Jersey
4. 6,400 Massachusetts
5. 5,000 New York
6. 4,100 Texas
7. 4,000 Florida
8. 3,800 Ohio
9. 3,600 Colorado
10.3,100 North Carolina
Price Decline 2012-2013
1. 41% Wisconsin
2. 40% Minnesota
3. 38% Nevada
4. 34% Pennsylvania (Related: State Guide – Solar Panels in PA)
5. 30% Washington, DC
6. 29% North Carolina
7. 28% Florida
8. 24% Hawaii
9. 23% Texas
10.21% Georgia
Cumulative Solar Capacity Installed (MW)
1. 5,660 California
2. 1,822 Arizona
3. 1,211 New Jersey
4. 557 North Carolina
5. 450 Nevada
6. 441 Massachusetts
7. 343 Hawaii
8. 331 Colorado
9. 247 New York
10.236 New Mexico
Percentage of New Electrical Capacity from Solar
1. 100% Arizona
2. 100% Illinois
3. 100% Massachusetts
4. 100% New Jersey
5. 100% Missouri
6. 100% Vermont
7. 100% Washington, DC
8. 92% Tennessee
9. 86% Oregon
10.78% Hawaii
Get solar data from the SEIA/GTM Solar Market Insight Report. Learn more at SEIA.org/smi
(1) SEIA/GTM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight 2013 Year in Reviewseia.org/smi; (2) SEIA, “What’s In a Megawatt?” seia.org/whats-megawatt; (3) The Solar Foundation, State Solar Jobs 2013 tsfcensus.org; (4) Change in residential and commercial installed solar prices from Q4 2012- Q4 2013, weighted by capacity installed seia.org/smi; (5) SEIA/GIM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight 2013 Year in Review seia.org/smi; (6) Calculated using data from EIA Electric Power Monthly December 2013 and SEIA/GTM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight 2013 Year in Review