California’s utility-scale solar plants generated a record 9.9 million MWh of electricity in 2014, an increase of 6.1 million MWh from 2013. The state’s solar generation during 2014 was more than three times the output of the next highest state, Arizona, and more than all the other states combined.
Several large plants came online in California during 2014, including two 550 MW solar PV plants, Topaz and Desert Sunlight Phases 1 and 2, and the 377 MW Ivanpah (Phases 1, 2 and 3) and the 250 MW Genesis solar thermal plants. In total, nearly 1,900 MW of new utility-scale solar capacity was added, bringing the state's utility-scale capacity for all solar technologies to 5,400 MW by the end of 2014.
California has promoted solar power through a number of state policies, such as the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). This requires electricity providers to obtain 33 percent of the power they sell from eligible renewable sources by 2020. In 2014, the state obtained 22 percent of its electricity from non-hydro renewables, including solar, wind and biomass. The state also created incentives such as rebates and net-metering policies, thereby helping to encourage rooftop and other small-scale solar capacity. By the end of the year, more than 2,300 MW of small-scale solar capacity was installed on homes and businesses, according to the California Public Utilities Commission.
The top three states in utility-scale solar generation, California, Arizona and Nevada, have some of the best solar resources in the world as a result of their geographical position in the southwestern United States. States with less-favourable solar resources, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts are also among the top 10 states in total solar generation. All of these top 10 states have a RPS in place, most of which include a specific target for solar power or customer-sited generation.
The increase in California’s solar production has coincided with a fall in hydroelectric generation of 46 percent compared to the previous five-year average. It offset 83 percent of that decrease in hydro.
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