Solar is Surging in the U.S.

It’s understandable to feel discouraged at the pace of efforts to address the global climate crisis. Every year it seems hurricanes, flooding, forest fires, and extreme heat grow in intensity and duration. However, under the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership, the United States has drastically expanded its solar power generation, helping accelerate the country’s transition away from fossil fuels.

Let’s start with the numbers. In 2019, the United States generated 71.9 gigawatt hours of net solar power for its energy grid. By 2023, that figure had more than doubled to 164.5 gigawatt hours. Solar power only accounted for 3% of U.S. energy production in 2020 but, according to the Energy Information Agency, it is expected to increase to 14% by 2035 and 20% by 2050.

For individuals seeking to convert their houses to solar power, installation can be the most difficult and expensive hurdle. However, in April 2024, the Biden-Harris administration announced it would dedicate $7 billion to help 900,000 low-income households install solar panels, thereby saving them more than $350 million in annual electricity costs.

Thanks in part to the Biden-Harris administration’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the U.S. added 400,000 new clean energy jobs between 2000 and 2023—a 12.8% growth rate that greatly outpaced the rest of the job market. Meanwhile, solar jobs increased by 9,400 (5.3%) in 2023.

One-third of all new clean energy and solar jobs were filled by Latinos in 2023. 79,000 Latinos now work in the sector, which means we represent 18% of all clean energy workers. Meanwhile, union representation in the solar sector grew to 14%, or more than twice the country’s private sector’s rate, in 2023. This guarantees nuestra gente higher pay and greater job stability in a rapidly expanding industry.

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