The latest quarterly research report on the U.S. Solar Market prepared by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research shows that the US. Solar energy market persists with its speedy growth in the second quarter of 2011.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) products were in the lead with around 314 MW installed capacity during the period a growth of over 69% when compared to the same period last year.
The commercial solar and utility market sectors have achieved a growth of 22% and 37% respectively during the period. The report indicates a drop of 5.7% in the residential PV segment when compared to last year where only 60 MW worth of installations were completed. The overall growth of the industry indicates that more than 630,000 homes in the USA are powered by solar facility.
According to Rhone Resch, President and CEO of SEIA, the solar industry in the USA is one among the quickest growing despite the sluggish economy of the country. He added that over 100,000 Americans are employed in solar industry, which is almost double that of 2009 figure. Most of them are employed in around 5,000 small and medium sized companies in all the 50 states.
The report fears that the impending challenges in 2012 will slow down the fast growth experienced in the past one and half years. It anticipates that the depression in major markets such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey and the end of 1603 program of the Treasury will aid to slow down the growth in 2012.
The report still anticipates that the utility level solar markets and increasing level of market diversity will assist the country to triple its installation growth in the next four years. It attributes the increase in sales in the last quarter to the reduction of around 30% in solar panels price and the tough competition in the market as reasons for the growth in the last quarter.
Source: http://www.greentechmedia.com/