New research from GTM Research forecasts that the US community solar
sector is to reach a tipping point soon, growing five-fold in 2015 and
regularly reaching 500 GW by 2020. The forecast is central to GTM Research’s latest report, US Community Solar Outlook 2015-2020,
which provides a comprehensive analysis of the US community solar
sector. GTM Research explains that the report “defines and segments the
market, forecasts installations in total and by state, outlines the
legislature that is helping and hampering community solar, and provides a
snapshot of today’s competitive landscape.”
Specifically, the report forecasts community solar to reach 115 MW
installed in 2015, and by 2020 the energy analysts predict the community
solar market will be installing 500 MW annually — an impressive growth
trajectory for a sector which only installed a cumulative 66 MW through
the end of 2014. Unsurprisingly then, “GTM Research has pegged [the
community solar market] as the most significant solar growth market for
the United States.”
Annual U.S. Community Solar Installations, 2010-2020E
Community solar
has seen a huge up-tick not only in installations, but in the
corresponding media attention it receives. School and public
institutions across the US have reaped the rewards of cheap and publicly
funded solar, but the opportunity for community solar is not simply
restricted to the US, with several other countries jumping on the
bandwagon.
Nevertheless, the US is definitely a hotspot for community solar,
with 24 states with at least one community solar project currently
online, and 20 states with or in the process of enacting community solar
legislation. Unsurprisingly, however, 4 states — California, Colorado,
Massachusetts, and Minnesota — will drive the majority of community
solar installations over the next two years and will serve as the core
driver for demand.
“Looking ahead to 2020,” said Senior Solar Analyst Cory Honeyman,
“the community solar opportunity is poised to become more geographically
diversified, as developers ramp up service offerings to utilities in
states without community solar legislation in place and as national
rooftop solar companies enter the community solar scene.”
http://cleantechnica.com/2015/06/24/gtm-forecast-us-community-solar-sector-grow-fivefold-2015/