Solar energy has become one of the fastest-growing energy sources in the United States and the world. The US now has over 239 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity, generating approximately 5.5% of total US electricity — up from essentially zero 20 years ago. These statistics illustrate both how far solar has come and where it’s headed as the dominant new electricity source of the 2020s.
US Solar Capacity and Generation Statistics
Total installed US solar capacity (2025): 239 GW DC — enough to power approximately 46 million average American homes.
Annual solar electricity generation: Solar generated approximately 290 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025, representing about 5.5% of total US electricity generation. This is up from 3.4% in 2022 and less than 0.1% in 2010.
Solar additions in 2025: The US added approximately 55–60 GW of new solar capacity in 2025, making it the largest single source of new electricity capacity additions for the third consecutive year. Solar now regularly outpaces natural gas, wind, and all other sources for new annual capacity additions.
Residential solar installations: Approximately 4.5–5 million US homes have rooftop solar panels as of 2025. The residential market adds roughly 400,000–500,000 new systems per year.
Commercial and industrial solar: Non-residential solar (C&I) accounts for roughly 15–20% of total installed capacity. Commercial installations range from small retail rooftops (50–250 kW) to large industrial facilities and campus-scale arrays up to 10+ MW.
Utility-scale solar: Large-scale solar farms (≥1 MW) represent approximately 70% of total US installed solar capacity. The largest US solar plants include Solar Star (California, 579 MW), Topaz Solar Farm (California, 550 MW), and Desert Sunlight (California, 550 MW). Projects of 1–3 GW scale are increasingly common in the Southwest.
Solar Cost Statistics
Residential solar cost (2026): $2.50–$3.50 per watt installed for a typical residential system (6–10 kW). A 7 kW system averages $17,500–$24,500 before incentives. This compares to over $8/watt in 2010 — a decline of more than 65% in 15 years.
Utility-scale solar cost (2026): $0.70–$1.10 per watt for large-scale ground-mount projects. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for utility solar is approximately $33–$45 per megawatt-hour (MWh) — well below the cost of new coal ($65–$150/MWh), nuclear ($80–$175/MWh), and competitive with natural gas combined cycle ($40–$80/MWh) in most regions.
Price decline since 2010: Solar PV module prices have fallen approximately 90% since 2010, from roughly $2.00/watt to under $0.20/watt for utility-scale modules. Balance-of-system costs (racking, wiring, labor, permits) have fallen more slowly, now representing 75–80% of total residential installed cost compared to 40–50% a decade ago.
Solar module cost vs. competing technologies: Solar PV is now the cheapest electricity-generating technology in history on a levelized basis in most of the world, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). In sunny regions with low financing costs, solar LCOE falls below $20/MWh — cheaper than operating existing coal plants in many markets.
Solar Jobs and Economic Statistics
US solar jobs (2025): Approximately 270,000 Americans work in solar energy — spanning manufacturing, installation, project development, sales, and operations. Solar employs more workers than coal mining (about 42,000) by a factor of 6.
Fastest-growing occupation: Solar photovoltaic installer has been one of the fastest-growing occupations in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational outlook for multiple years running, with projected growth far exceeding the average for all occupations.
Solar industry revenue: The US solar industry generated approximately $60–$70 billion in economic activity in 2025, including installations, manufacturing, and related services.
Manufacturing jobs (IRA impact): The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 drove a significant wave of solar manufacturing investment in the US. Over $20 billion in domestic solar manufacturing capacity was announced or under construction between 2022 and 2025, with new panel, cell, wafer, and inverter factories in states including Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Virginia, and Colorado.
Average solar installer salary: $45,000–$65,000 per year for journeyman solar installers, rising to $65,000–$100,000+ for NABCEP-certified professionals, project managers, and system designers.
Solar Savings Statistics
Average homeowner savings: US homeowners with solar panels save an average of $1,000–$2,500 per year on electricity bills, depending on system size, local electricity rates, and utility net metering policy. Over 25 years, a typical homeowner saves $25,000–$65,000 in electricity costs.
Payback period: The average solar payback period in the US is 9–13 years in 2026 (following the expiration of the Section 25D residential credit at end of 2025). High-rate states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and California (pre-NEM 3.0 systems) achieve paybacks of 6–9 years. Lower-rate states like Georgia, Texas, and the Southeast typically see 12–18 year paybacks.
Home value increase: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research found that homes with owned solar systems sold for an average premium of $4 per watt of installed solar capacity, or approximately $14,000–$20,000 for typical residential systems. Zillow data found solar-equipped homes sell for approximately 4% more than comparable non-solar homes.
Electricity rate inflation impact: US residential electricity rates have increased at approximately 2.5–3.5% per year historically. A homeowner who installs solar and locks in their electricity cost benefits from this rate escalation — their solar savings grow each year as utility rates rise.
Global Solar Statistics
Global solar capacity (2025): Approximately 2,200–2,400 GW of solar installed globally. Solar is now the world’s most installed electricity generation technology by capacity, having surpassed coal and natural gas globally.
Largest solar markets: China leads globally with over 900 GW installed — more than the rest of the world combined. The US is second at 239 GW, followed by the European Union collectively (~350 GW), India (~85 GW), Japan (~90 GW), and Australia (~40 GW).
Global solar electricity generation: Solar generated approximately 2,200 TWh globally in 2025 — about 6.5% of global electricity generation, up from less than 1% in 2015.
IEA projections: The International Energy Agency projects solar will become the largest single source of electricity globally by 2030 under current policy trajectories, and solar capacity additions are projected to exceed all other technologies combined through 2030.
Solar Panel Performance Statistics
Panel efficiency: Standard residential solar panels achieve 20–24% efficiency (energy converted from sunlight to electricity). Premium HJT and IBC cells reach 24–26%. The theoretical maximum for silicon solar cells (Shockley-Queisser limit) is ~29.4%; laboratory records for single-junction silicon cells currently stand near 29%.
Panel degradation rate: Modern TOPCon and HJT panels degrade at 0.25–0.40% per year, meaning a panel rated at 400W today produces roughly 394–397W after 5 years. Older PERC panels degrade at 0.40–0.55%/year. After 25 years, a high-quality modern panel retains approximately 88–93% of original output.
Panel lifespan: Most solar panels carry 25-year performance warranties, but many panels continue producing well beyond 30 years. Field studies of panels installed in the 1980s and 1990s show many still operating at 75–80% of original rated output.
Carbon payback period: The carbon (energy) payback period for crystalline silicon solar panels — the time it takes for a panel to generate more energy than was used to manufacture it — is approximately 1–3 years in typical installations. Over a 25–30 year lifespan, a rooftop solar system produces 15–30 times the energy invested in its manufacturing, transport, and installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of US electricity comes from solar?
Solar generated approximately 5.5% of total US electricity in 2025, up from 3.4% in 2022 and essentially zero in 2010. In California, solar’s share exceeds 30% of total generation on many spring and fall days. States like Massachusetts and New Jersey also exceed 20% solar on peak production days. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects solar could reach 15–20% of US electricity by 2035 under current policy and market trajectories.
How many solar panels are in the US?
With approximately 239 GW of installed US solar capacity and an average panel rated at 400 watts, the US has approximately 600 million solar panels installed — across utility-scale farms, commercial rooftops, and residential installations. Residential systems account for roughly 30–35 million panels; the vast majority are in utility-scale arrays.
How much has solar grown in the last 10 years?
US solar capacity grew from approximately 18 GW in 2015 to 239 GW in 2025 — a 13-fold increase in 10 years. In terms of annual electricity generation, solar grew from about 26 TWh in 2015 to approximately 290 TWh in 2025. The cost of residential solar fell from about $4.50/watt installed in 2015 to $2.50–$3.50/watt in 2026. Solar module prices fell from about $0.60/watt in 2015 to under $0.20/watt in 2025 for utility-scale procurement.
Summing Up
Solar energy has undergone one of the most dramatic cost declines and capacity expansions of any energy technology in history. With 239 GW installed in the US, 5.5% of US electricity coming from solar, and an industry employing 270,000 Americans, solar is now a mainstream energy source rather than a niche technology. Panel efficiencies continue improving, costs continue falling, and storage technology is rapidly solving solar’s intermittency challenge. If you’re interested in contributing to — and benefiting from — this growth with a solar installation of your own, call (855) 427-0058 or visit us.solarpanelsnetwork.com for a free quote.
Updated