Solar power generation is distributed free of charge nationwide

Solar Energy: Frequently Asked Questions

Use of solar energy for electricity generation is growing in the United States and globally. In the United States, solar energy overall accounted for 3.9% of total electricity generation in 2021, compared to

The State (s) of Distributed Solar — 2024 Update

Distributed solar, which can be owned by individuals, small businesses, and public entities, is turning the electricity industry upside down as individuals choose to generate their own solar

Distributed Generation of Electricity and its Environmental Impacts

Distributed generation refers to a variety of technologies that generate electricity at or near where it will be used, such as solar panels and combined heat and power.

How Does Solar Work?

Below, you can find resources and information on the basics of solar radiation, photovoltaic and concentrating solar-thermal power technologies, electrical grid systems integration, and the non-hardware aspects (soft

Op-Ed: How distributed generation solar is meeting America''s energy

As demand for power continues to rise, driven by the expansion of data centers and advanced manufacturing facilities, the need for efficient, scalable energy solutions has never been

Solar power in the United States

OverviewSolar potentialHistorySolar photovoltaic powerConcentrated solar power (CSP)Government supportSee alsoFurther reading

Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2024, utility-scale solar power generated 219.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) in the United States. Total solar generation that year, including estimated small-scale photovoltaic generation, was 303.8 TWh. As of the end of 2024, the United States had 239 gigawatts (GW) of installed photovoltaic (ut

Solar Power and the Electric Grid, Energy Analysis (Fact Sheet)

This fact sheet illustrates the roles of distributed and centralized renewable energy technologies, particularly solar power, and how they will contribute to the future electricity system.

Community Solar

Community solar allows you to enjoy the benefits of solar power being generated in a remote location. Participants often subscribe for a portion of a larger solar installation, usually located in a field or on a

Solar, battery storage to lead new U.S. generating capacity additions

In 2024, generators added a record 30 GW of utility-scale solar to the U.S. grid, accounting for 61% of capacity additions last year. We expect this trend will continue in 2025, with 32.5 GW of new utility-scale solar

Solar power in the United States

Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2024, utility-scale solar power generated 219.8 terawatt

The 50 States of Solar: States Focus on Value of Distributed Generation

The report finds that 49 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, took some type of distributed solar policy action during 2025 (see figure below), with the greatest number of actions related to