SEIA: over quarter of solar systems installed since IRA passage in US

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Solar installations in the US will double to 10 million by 2030. Credit: SEIA

Solar installations in the US have seen significant increase since 2020, while there are more than five million installations in the country, according to the US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie.  

Currently, over half of all US solar installations, including residential, commercial and industrial (C&I) and large-scale ground-mounted projects, have come online since the start of 2020, and over a quarter have come online since the IRA became law more than a year ago. 

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

The residential sector accounts for 97% of all solar installations in the US. As of 2023, the US had 36GW of residential solar systems. By 2030, the US will have 10 million residential solar systems, more than double the number of installations in this sector today. Also, 7% of homes in the US have solar systems, while this proportion will grow to more than 15% by 2030. 

States with high number of solar systems 

A total of 11 states and territories had over 100,000 systems installed, while 23 states and territories have over 25,000 systems. California led the country with two million solar installations. In 2012, the state had only over 25,000 installed solar systems.

Recently, PV Tech reported that residential solar PV installations in California since the introduction of the NEM 3.0 – a billing structure of California’s rooftop solar net metering scheme – have been roughly equal to the amount in the prior year, with more customers installing battery energy storage systems (BESS). 

Some other states have witnessed rapid growth. For example, Illinois was an emerging market with only 2,500 solar installations in 2017, but it is now home to more than 87,000 solar systems. As of the third quarter of 2023, Illinois had only 2,347MW of installed solar capacity, while 7,688MW of solar capacity will be added until 2028. 

Florida is another market that has experienced substantial growth, increasing from 22,000 installations in 2017 to 235,000 installations today.

“Solar is scaling by the millions because it consistently delivers on its promise to lower electricity costs, boost community resilience, and create economic opportunities. Solar is quickly becoming the dominant source of electricity on the grid, allowing communities to breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of SEIA. 

Looking ahead, SEIA expected that solar installations in the US will double to 10 million by 2030 and triple to 15 million by 2034. By 2030, 22 states or territories are expected to exceed 100,000 solar installations.

Speaking of installed solar capacity, over half of US had over 1GW of solar installed, compared to only three states a decade ago. By 2034, US solar capacity is expected to grow to 673GW.

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.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth 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 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

August 8, 2025
This week several solar developers have raised funds for projects around the world, including BRUC in Europe, Greenalia in the US, Qair in Mauritius and CREC in Philippines.
August 8, 2025
US solar tracker manufacturer Array Technologies has posted revenue of US$362.2 million in the second quarter of this year.
Premium
August 8, 2025
Energy storage escaped much of the pain inflicted on solar, but foreign entity restrictions may create some supply-chain challenges.
August 8, 2025
Solar PV is likely to become less accessible to low-income Americans after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cancels the US$7 billion Solar For All scheme.
August 8, 2025
SolarEdge posted inverter shipments of 1.19GW in the second quarter of this year, alongside BESS sales of 247MWh.
August 8, 2025
German renewable energy developer ib vogt has officially broken ground on a 99MWp solar PV power plant in South Cotabato, the Philippines.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines