California has become the first state in the USA to produce more than five per cent of its annual electricity from utility-scale solar power. The state generated a record 9.9 million megawatt hours (MWh) in 2014 – more than all other U.S. states combined.
Figures contained in a new report from the USA’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) show California’s utility-scale (defined as anything over one megawatt) solar capacity grew by 6.1 million MWh last year, thanks largely to the commissioning of several major projects in the Golden State’s sun-blasted desert region.
Both the Topaz and Desert Sunlight 550 MW solar photovoltaic plants came online during 2014, along with the 377 MW Ivanpah (Phases 1, 2, and 3) and the 250 MW Genesis solar thermal plants. The commissioning of these projects brought California’s operating utility-scale solar capacity to a total of 5,400MW by the end of 2014.
According to the EIA, California’s solar success – which saw it produce three times more electricity from solar panels in 2014 than the next-highest states, Arizona and Nevada – was due to strong policy measures such as a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that requires electricity providers to obtain 33% of the power they sell from eligible renewable sources by 2020.
The report notes this program, along with rebates and net metering incentives, saw more than 2,300MW of small-scale solar capacity installed on homes and businesses in 2014.
Solar’s contribution has been especially important as much of California is gripped in a major drought. This has impacted on hydro-electric power generation; but the annual increase in California’s solar generation in 2014 offset 83% of the decrease in hydro.
The report highlights how the American solar industry has benefited from the RPS strategy. All top ten states in utility-scale solar generation – except Florida – have a RPS, in one form or another.
Although the top three states in utility-scale solar generation in 2014 were located in the solar-rich south-western United States, states with less-favourable solar resources, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts were also are among the top ten solar producers in the country.
