First Solar

Benchmarking the U.S. Electricity Grid against the Eclipse

California Solar Farm

On August 21st, the United States will experience a solar eclipse.

The eclipse will be visible across the continent, depending on cloud cover and other factors – like the lunar limb profile – and will last two minutes, give or take 1 to 3 seconds.

In California, where the sun shines almost all the time, utility-scale solar energy provides 8 gigawatts, or GW. Another 4 GW is private, and comprised of solar rooftops and arrays.  

California Solar Farm

Budget deal, Paris accord cast sunny forecast for solar

Extended investment tax credit casts sunny forecast for solar

Between the recent climate accord in Paris and a likely deal between Congressional democrats and republicans to extend the solar investment tax credit, the future is looking bright for rooftop solar.

Solar stocks started climbing after more than 250 nations came to a historic agreement this month to take actions aimed at slowing global warming. With the United States standing arm-in-arm with the United Nations at the Paris Climate Change Conference in early December, it’s clear the government will increase its support of renewable energy technologies.

Extended investment tax credit casts sunny forecast for solar