Corporations ‘walking the walk’ with clean energy as US C&I solar capacity soars

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Apple’s headquarters in Silicon Valley is powered by 100% renewable energy and features a 17MW rooftop solar installation. Image: Apple.

Led by tech firms and retailers, corporations installed 1,286MW of new solar capacity in the US in 2019, the second highest amount on record, a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has revealed.

Over 8,350MW of commercial solar capacity has now been developed across more than 38,000 US systems. Topping the list are Apple and Amazon, followed by Walmart, which installed the most solar among corporations in 2019 and increased its use by 35%. Last year also saw more onsite commercial solar installed than ever before, reaching 845MW.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

SEIA says the rapid decline in the price of solar PV has been the primary driver of recent commercial solar expansion, while the proliferation of renewable energy goals among the world’s largest companies has also increased the technology's uptake.

Apple, which hit its 100% renewable energy goal in 2018 and recently pledged to make its supply chain carbon neutral by 2030, now has nearly 400MW of solar capacity in its portfolio.

The full top ten corporate solar users in the US includes: Apple, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Google, Kaiser Permanente, Switch, Prologis, Facebook and Solvay.

“The world’s most recognisable brands are walking the walk when it comes to their clean energy commitments,” Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO at SEIA, said. “Businesses are choosing solar energy because it can significantly curb their energy costs and add predictability during these uncertain times.”

California, New York and Massachusetts lead the US for commercial solar installations. Image: SEIA.

SEIA forecasts that the corporate sector will continue to invest in solar as companies follow through on clean energy commitments. Over the next few years, an additional 5GW of corporate off-site solar projects are slated to come online, more than doubling the current installed capacity.

Facebook, one of the biggest buyers of off-site solar, has made its debut in the top ten and has taken the biggest leap forward, jumping from 27th to ninth on SEIA's list. Target, the company with the most solar capacity installed at its facilities, finished 2019 with a total of 283MW of solar capacity and more than 500 solar projects in its portfolio.

The report notes that California continues to lead the US for commercial solar due to a supportive policy environment and excellent solar resources, resulting in a diverse mix of smaller on-site and larger off-site projects. High building density and green policies mean New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts are also among the top states.

17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.
7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.

Read Next

June 9, 2025
Solar manufacturer Qcells has launched a recycling arm, called EcoRecycle, and a recycling plant in the US state of Georgia.
June 9, 2025
Growing political headwinds threaten to dent US solar manufacturing and project deployment, despite a strong start to 2025.
June 9, 2025
US residential solar installer Sunnova has laid off more than half of its workforce, while a subsidiary from Delaware filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
June 6, 2025
rPlus Energies has secured more than US$500 million for an 800MW solar-plus-storage project in Emery County, Utah, US.  
June 6, 2025
Australia’s Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has called on Australia’s climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, to “urgently intervene” on a rule change that could threaten to derail the uptake of rooftop solar PV.
June 5, 2025
Policy uncertainty in the US is likely to disrupt investment in clean energy, according to a recent report from Crux.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece