Solar Energy Dominates First Quarter With 74 Percent of New Electric Capacity

Solar energy was clearly the top choice when it came to new, electric generating capacity installed during this year’s first quarter.

Power generated from the sun accounted for 74 percent of that new capacity, according to aquarterly report produced by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GTM Research. That figure outpaced all other forms of energy by at least 54 percent. Natural gaschecked in with a paltry 4 percent.

In all, 1,330 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) were installed in the first three months of 2014. That figure—a 79-percent increase over the same period last year—brings the U.S. total installed solar capacity to 14.8 gigawatts. That’s enough to power 3 million homes.

http://ecowatch.com/2014/05/29/solar-energy-first-quarter-2014/