It seems that the U.S. solar energy sector is experiencing essentially the most explosive growth in history.

Energy media outlet Levy reported on the seventh (local time) that the US installed an extra 32.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy capability last yr, the most important ever.

That is the most important amount of all energy sources added in 2023, with renewable energy overtaking fossil fuels for the primary time since World War II.

The 32.4 GW installed in 2023 accounts for 52% of all energy capability added within the U.S., in accordance with a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association. It far surpasses natural gas (18%), which ranks second.

By region, large-scale public solar energy projects in California and Texas stood out. By industry, the residential and business sectors also expanded significantly.

Evaluation suggests that that is the results of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Biden administration's efforts to advertise solar energy manufacturing in the US.

The IRA allocated $369 billion (about 500 trillion won) for investment in and production of unpolluted energy technologies, providing major incentives for rooftop solar installations. One other major reason is that projects that had been delayed as a consequence of a dispute with a California-based solar manufacturer in 2022 were accomplished in 2023.

Currently, the US' solar capability is predicted to grow to 500GW by 2034.

Levy commented, “The Biden administration has the principle of producing all components of the solar energy supply chain in the US,” adding, “It would be interesting to see how effective these efforts can be.”

Reporter Taeyong Kim future@aitimes.com