Solar energy has the potential to cover 40% of the US power mix by 2035, according to US Department of Energy, up from the current 3% (2020). The country would need to need to quadruple its yearly solar capacity additions and provide 1,000 GW of power to a renewable-dominant grid by 2035. By 2050, solar energy could provide 1,600 GW on a zero-carbon grid. The United States currently has 83 GW of solar capacity (7% of total capacity).
By 2035, the decarbonisation scenarios show cumulative solar deployment of 760–1,000 GW, serving 37%–42% of electricity demand, with the remainder met largely by other zero-carbon energies, including wind (36%), nuclear (11%–13%), hydropower (5%–6%), and biopower/geothermal (1%). Decarbonizing the entire energy system could result in as much as 3,000 GW of solar by 2050 due to increased electrification in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors. Storage capacity would grow from 30 GW to nearly 400 GW in 2035 and 1,700 GW in 2050.
Interested in Power Plants?
Enerdata has developed a market research service to screen, monitor and analyse the development of power generation assets.
Power Plant Tracker offers an interactive database and a powerful search engine covering power plants worldwide – including both installed and planned capacities for renewables and fossil fuels.