The Environment America Research & Policy Center said Thursday that solar power will make up 10 percent of the energy America uses to generate electricity by 2030.
While solar energy currently only makes up 0.23 percent of electricity generation in the U.S., the report claims that this number will grow if the government implements enough policies to promote the use of the energy source, according to ThinkProgress. Actions taken could include extending tax credits for solar power, funding research for new solar projects, and focusing on using solar energy to bring down global warming.
The organization also recommended that state and local governments engage in net metering so households that use solar energy can sell the power they don't use to the grid so others can use it. Companies that sell solar panels could also sell their customers electricity so customers won't have to go through public utilities.
"We can get to 10 percent solar by 2030 if we just keep our foot on the accelerator," said Rob Sergent, co-author of the report. "That's a small fraction of what's possible, but it will make a big difference in the quality of our lives and our children's future."
While this use of energy was previously believed to be impossible, Environment America discovered that solar power has experienced a 77 percent increase in the last three years, which means that even if the energy use only grows by 22 percent, solar would still be able to reach the 10 percent mark in less than two decades, solarserver.com reported.
"Given the growth over the last few years, getting to 10 percent of U.S. electricity from solar should happen far sooner than 2030," said Jigar Shah, a solar industry pioneer and President of Generate Capital.
The group also believes the change in energy use would be great for the solar industry, which the report says has added 143,000 jobs across the country last year, ThinkProgress reported.
The report also pointed towards environmental benefits, such as 280 million metric tons of carbon leaving the atmosphere by 2030, which is the same as taking 59 million cars off the road.
"When it comes to solar energy, the sky's the limit," said Rob Sargent, co-author of the report. "Getting to 10 percent solar is the just the first step to a future powered by pollution-free energy."
