With gas prices slowly rising, and the production of oil producing further havoc with the environmental stability of the planet, further and further attention is being given to renewable energy sources, such as the wind, hydro and solar energy. Since their inception, the technology that powers them (ha, ha!) has only improved, making them more efficient, reliable, and available on the public market. In particular, solar energy has made massive leaps and bounds in the past few decades, quickly finding itself in a domestic market of the likes that wind and hydro energy just can’t match. This, despite repeated attacks by fossil fuel lobbies.
This is largely due to the ease in which solar panels can provide cheap, readily available energy completely off grid, which has made it attractive not only to individual homeowners, but also offices instead. Many windows on city skyscrapers, for example, are actually solar collectors powering their offices.
With everyone hoping to soak up the rays of the solar energy sun, we’ve decided to have a look at the current top states with solar energy offices.
1. California
The current no. 1 supplier of solar energy, California currently produces the most wattage per capita through the power of the sun. In fact in the last year California has installed more solar energy than the entire country combined did from 1970 to 2011! It now has a capacity of a dizzying 4316MW per capita, capable of powering over 1 million homes. Further, California is currently the largest providers of solar-related jobs in the country.
2. North Carolina
Trailing behind California is North Carolina, which installed 396.6MW of power capacity, or enough to power just under 50,000 houses. While it’s very modest compared to California, it’s still a giant. It produces more solar energy than all of the South Eastern-most states combined.
3. Nevada
Meanwhile, Nevada takes up a close third with 339.3 watts per capita. While more famous for Hoover Dam, which produces 4.2kWh a year in hydroelectricity, it’s nevertheless been steadily investing in its solar energy as well.
Per capita, Nevada has the most solar energy jobs even if California has more jobs overall.
4. Massachusetts
Up in fourth place is Massachusetts, which is not to be outdone. While only installing just around 300MW in capacity, it currently has enough that the state can actually consider closing over 900 fossil-fuel powered plants. Further, it plans to install a further 1,100 capacity of solar energy over the next two years.
5. Arizona
Former reigning champ of solar power production, Arizona clocks in an impressive 246.6 watts per capita, and with a total capacity of 10,93MW. This makes it undeniably one of the leading producers and suppliers of solar energy in the USA and even now continues to make further expansions into the amount of solar plants running on its soil.
Such is the extent of Arizona’s production, that all of its utility electricity is produced solely by solar energy. This truly makes it one of the centres of solar energy in the country.
A Brighter Tomorrow
So as can be seen, solar power is clearly on the up-and-up as far as American energy production is concerned. While fossil fuels are far from abolished, and continues to province a significant amount of energy yearly for businesses and homes across the country, solar energy has obviously made its mark and seems here to stay.
Other states are rapidly installing their own power energy plants, into order to tap into this new technology, with the help of experts, like those at Bob Heinmiller Solar, further releasing them from a dependency on oil, while individual businesses and homeowners are also installing their own panels to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint. Certainly, the sun is rising for solar energy!
About the Author
Christian Mills is an advocator for all things green and enjoys sharing articles and insight into living a green lifestyle. If you would like to learn more about Christian and his efforts towards solar living, you can check out his Google+ profile.
Photo credit: Unsplash
