Why California’s closed $2 billion solar plant is not a signal of industry failure
Beginning operations in 2014, the Ivanpah Solar plant cost $2.2 billion to build. It is now closing operations, but the plant’s closure is not an indication cost problems for the solar industry.
U.S. solar will pass wind in 2025 and leave coal in the dust soon after
Solar and wind represent about 11% to 12% of the energy mix each, while coal sits just under 15%. Developers brought online 16 GW of solar out of a total 21.5 GW electric generation capacity cumulatively added through July in 2025, said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. There is currently about 5 GW more wind than solar actively deployed in the United States.
Community solar may have peaked in 2024, said Wood Mackenzie
Wood Mackenzie reported a 36% decline year over year for the first half of 2025 and forecasts 12% annual contraction through 2030.
Utilities pump the brakes on climate commitments while giving more gas to fossil fuel
Most utilities failed Sierra Club’s annual report because they are building and maintaining too many fossil fuel plants and too few clean energy projects to keep up with demand.
Who leads in residential solar equipment market share?
Tesla slipped in home battery and inverter market share, while REC led among panel suppliers, said residential solar marketplace operator EnergySage.
VPP deployments jump 33%, but capacity growth more modest, Wood Mackenzie says
Virtual power plant (VPP) capacity grew a modest 13.7%, while company deployments, unique offtakers and monetized programs each grew over 33% from the previous year, Wood Mackenzie’s annual VPP report found.
Solar and storage rising as wind fades in $20 billion clean energy tax credit market
Crux’s 2025 Mid-Year State of Clean Energy Finance report finds transferable tax credits nearly doubled year-over-year, with the total tax credit market reaching toward $60 billion for the full year. Solar and storage dominate activity, while manufacturers are beginning to spread their wings.
Plug-in solar legislation momentum spreads to Vermont
Germany has decked its balconies with plug-in solar panels for years. Following Utah’s legislation to make plug-in solar accessible, Vermont is preparing for a bill to do the same.
Startup launches AI-based home solar and electrification customer acquisition platform
AI startup 257’s targeted market intelligence cuts costs for the residential solar and electrification industry, a market that it said spends an estimated $20-billion-plus annual marketing.
State solar policy on the frontlines
For a couple months every two years, every state’s legislative session align, and this year, energy policy dominated many states’ sessions. In regulated energy markets, advocacy groups crusaded against utilities that were relentless to not lose any of their monopoly share to clean energy.
