Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Stunning Facts: 297,000 Homes Solar Net Metered In 2012, Including 1% of California's and 5% of Hawaii's

Why are electricity utilities worried that solar will devour their business?  Look no further than the Energy Information Administration's 2012 data for the number of homes enrolled in solar net metering.

California residential customers are flocking to solar power and the net metering of their production. Already more than 1% of residential accounts or 150,952 homes in the Golden State are solar net metering.  California accounts for 50% of the nation's 297,000 homes doing net metering.

While solar net metering is soaring in California, Arizona, and Colorado, the solar net metering leader is Hawaii.  An astonishing 5% of Hawaii's residential electricity accounts are solar net metering.

Five of 100 homes in Hawaii are solar net metering; 1 out of 100 are in California, Colorado, Arizona; and 1 out of 445 homes are across America.  These numbers matter now but are just the leading edge of solar storm heading toward the grid and energy markets.

While solar and net metering began in California, it is not staying there and has exploded in Hawaii. In 2012, solar net metering grew in America by nearly 100,000 homes, with California responsible for adding 41,592.

And while solar boomed in 2012 in homes, 2013 will be an even bigger year for solar installations at homes across America.  The solar revolution is unstoppable and has just begun.

1 comment:

  1. Living in California, I am beginning to see more and more homes in my area turning to solar energy. I too got solar panels on my home by Sungate Energy Solutions just a could years ago. I think it was a great investment and I feel I am doing something that is more beneficial for the environment. Despite this "solar revolution" the electric companies will always be around. Even with solar panels you still use your local electric company, just only a small fraction, if at all, of what you normally would use. From my understanding they are a backup, worst case scenario supplier, say for example the panels where not able to capture enough energy to equal your energy usage.

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