Solar Energy to dominate US energy mix in 2023
The United States is set to incorporate 54.5 gigawatts (GW) of fresh electrical generation capacity in the year 2023, with solar energy contributing to over half of this expansion, as per the data released by the country’s Energy Information Administration (EIA). This year, Texas and California are projected to lead in the adoption of new solar capacity, with 7.7GW and 4.2GW, respectively. These two states are expected to jointly represent 41% of the intended solar installations.
Solar Energy Growth
The growth of solar energy capacity experienced a 23% decline in 2022 in comparison to 2021 due to disruptions in the supply chain and other challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by the EIA. The EIA anticipates that some of the solar projects delayed in 2022 will come into operation in 2023. Developers are planning to deploy 29.1GW of solar power across the United States in the coming year, constituting roughly 54% of the total projected new capacity. If all these projects materialize as scheduled, the introduction of utility-scale solar capacity in 2023 will mark a significant milestone, surpassing the previous record of 13.4GW set in 2021.
Furthermore, developers have blueprints for introducing 9.4GW of battery storage in 2023, to complement the existing 8.8GW, alongside an additional 6.0GW of wind capacity.
