At the end of 2015, solar experts across the board had nothing but high hopes and lofty expectations for the solar industry in the coming year. From how solar power works, to the way it is installed, evolutions in technology and inventions are constantly changing the landscape of the solar industry. Now, as 2016 comes to an end, it’s interesting and exciting to take a trip through history and explore some of solar power’s greatest 2016 moments and different ways these prior expectations were notably exceeded.
The Market Grew Hungry for Employees
This year, the number of American’s working in the solar industry more than doubled the number of employees working in the coal industry. With an excess of 209,000 employees working in the industry in 2016, solar power, along with wind, accounted for more than 66 percent of all new capacity installed in the U.S. just last year alone. This employment number is expected to continue its climb upwards, with experts predicting more than 420,000 industry employees by 2020.
Tesla Changes The Game
In October 2016, Tesla Motors, an automaker and energy storage company with a mission to transition the world to sustainable energy, made an announcement that will forever stand out as a milestone in solar history. Immediately following an approval from Tesla shareholders to hire on SolarCity as the company’s new sun-to-vehicle energy firm, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk announced that his solar engineering team are developing a new solar roof product that looks identical to that of a traditional roof, but will ultimately cost less to manufacture and install.
This big reveal caught everyone by surprise — not even the experts saw it coming. But with four distinct roofing styles that blend flawlessly with any type of home design, it’s clear that this invention is something Tesla has been working on for quite some time. While the rollout of these tiles will be in high demand after production, the company is guaranteeing that affordable price and high-end design will make this “new roof” a highly sought after product. Chances are that several other companies will follow in Tesla’s footsteps in 2017 to create competitive solar tiles that appeal to the average homeowner.
The U.S. Is Climbing The Solar Ladder
In 2015 the United States was ranked fourth in the world for total photovoltaic (PV) installation. With 25,620 megawatts (MW) of solar installed, experts predicted that a surge in installation projects would boost the United State’s rankings in 2016; and it did. In this year’s first quarter alone, the U.S. installed 1,665 MW of solar PV – a 24-percent increase over the first quarter of 2015. If these numbers continue to skyrocket, which they likely will, the U.S is predicted to climb in rankings to become one of the world’s top three solar powerhouses.
Prices Are Plummeting
In 1977, the price of solar began at a staggering $76 per watt. Fast forwards nearly four decades, and the price of solar per watt is now nearly three times cheaper – with prices hovering around three-dollars per watt. This increasing affordability is perhaps one of the leading reasons solar is growing in popularity. This trend is continuing with many experts predicting the price per watt to drop to one-dollar or below by 2017. Though some remain speculative of this drastic year-long drop, everyone is in agreement that solar will most certainly cost less than a dollar per watt by 2020.
These and other notable advances in the solar industry pave a bright future for the industry in 2017 and beyond.
Garret Crosby
Garret Crosby is a freelance writer for multiple online publications. He has recently worked with Legend Solar. Garret is committed to learning about how businesses and homes can go green.
editor@greentechlead.com