Solar Power has been a mixed bag in the power market. While adding solar panels to a homeowner's property might save users some money on their utility bill, solar power installation is often expensive and not as economically effective as some want it to be. Despite these problems, 2014 saw a significant increase in solar power sales.
A new report from the GTM and the Solar Energy Industry Association revealed that solar power sales in 2014 went up 30 percent, and that there was a significant increase in solar power output. The average solar photovoltaic array was able to create 6,221 megavolts, a significant increase from 2013's 4,776 megavolts and 12 times more than what solar panels created in 2010.
The SEIA report also revealed that over 600,000 homes in the US are using solar powered, and that there are enough arrays set up to power over 4 million American homes for a year. In fact, solar power accounted for 32 percent of all new American power generators in 2014.
This significant increase in solar power is partly because of the decreasing cost of solar panel arrays. Installations costs have dropped by 10 percent in the last year. On average, solar power is cheaper than the average local utility rate. Customers are also reportedly showing more interest in solar power.
This interest was enough to get cable provider DirectTV and energy provider MP2 to discuss partnerships with solar energy company Solarcity in order to save money, decrease their carbon footprint and become a better company.
