Report: 32 GW of utility-scale solar PV on line by 2017

More than 32 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects of 5 MW or greater in size are expected to be operational in the United States by the time the 30% federal investment tax credit (ITC) expires on December 31, 2016, according to recent information compiled by business information and analysis firm IHS (Englewood, CO). Based on the latest information in its Solar Deal Tracker database, IHS says that the majority of these projects are located in California, but that a significant number of utility-scale projects are scattered about the country. The most recent wave of proposed projects have capacities in the range of 20 MW to 100 MW. “Newly proposed projects appear to be primarily located in less contentious areas and developed at sizes that are likely to promote a high potential for success in a short time,” said Christine Beadle, senior analyst for IHS Technology. “Recent project approvals by the Bureau of Land Management encourage installations in designated Solar Energy Zones.”