The US has now officially surpassed 5 million solar installations, a significant landmark in its shift toward clean energy, according to data released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie.
The 5 million milestone comes just eight years after the US achieved its first million in 2016 – a stark contrast to the four decades it took to reach that initial milestone since the first grid-connected solar project in 1973.
Since the beginning of 2020, more than half of all US solar installations have come online, and over 25% have been activated since the Inflation Reduction Act became law 20 months ago. Solar arrays have been installed on homes and businesses and as utility-scale solar farms. The US solar market was valued at $51 billion in 2023.
SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper…