‘Shared solar’ could add 11GW to US rooftop market, says NREL

April 28, 2015
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Developing shared solar programmes could boost the US rooftop market and represent as much as 49% of distributed PV sector in 2020, according to a new report by the US Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The report claims that allocating electricity from jointly owned arrays to be sold to the multiple owners would expand the pool of people who can benefit from solar.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Small business with insufficient roof space, and – crucially – those living in apartment blocks would stand to benefit.

Expanding this segment could lead to the addition of 5.5-11GW of solar between now and 2020, representing an investment of US$8.2 to US$16.3 billion, the report said.

According to the NREL 49% of US households and 48% of business are unable to host a PV array.

“Historically, PV business models and regulatory environments have not been designed to expand access to a significant portion of potential PV system customers,” said David Feldman, NREL energy analyst and lead author of the report. “As a result, the economic, environmental, and social benefits of distributed PV have not been available to all consumers. Shared solar programmes open up the market to the other half of businesses and households.”

The report suggests that the schemes may not be treated as for-profit securities if they are marketed as a means to reduce bills, thereby avoiding SEC regulation, which the report said would impact on the way shared solar programmes operate.

The report said governments, utilities and the solar industry could aid the acceleration of the shared solar market through initiatives such as the introduction of local legislation to create transparency and standardisation for investors.

Read Next

April 24, 2026
Indian module manufacturer Saatvik Green Energy has acquired an 80% equity stake in Melcon Transformers and Electricals.
Sponsored
April 24, 2026
PV Tech spoke to Ricky Chen, President of Huawei Asia Pacific Smart PV & ESS Business, about FusionSolar9.0's role in enabling higher-quality solar deployment
Premium
April 24, 2026
US solar permitting delays are raising costs and slowing deployment, with PV Tech speaking to Crux experts on implications for developers and the wider PV industry.
April 24, 2026
Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have developed coloured films for solar PV modules that can imitate roof tiles or building facades.
Premium
April 24, 2026
Reforms to the UK’s grid connection process for renewable energy projects are underway, aimed at easing the logjam of applications.
April 24, 2026
The US DoC has issued preliminary affirmative determinations in antidumping duty investigations, setting preliminary dumping margins of 123.04% for India, 35.15% for Indonesia and 22.46% for Laos.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
May 27, 2026
9am BST / 10am CEST
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
June 3, 2026
National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain