Where does it pay to go solar in the U.S.?
Ever wonder about the top three states in the U.S. with solar potential? If you guessed California, Florida and Arizona, you are only 1 for 3!
Arizona State University’s School of Business recently named Arizona, Colorado and Georgia as the top three states with solar potential. In other words, people who live in these states would benefit most from converting to solar power.
The findings of the report were determined based on the current cost of grid-based electricity, the amount of sunlight each state receives on an annual basis, and state-by-state solar initiatives. Where power costs more, residents may be more inclined to switch to renewable energy resources like solar energy.
The study, published in The Electricity Journal, ranked states in the U.S. with respect to generation and consumption of solar energy.
“We see a growing trend by states to increase the importance of renewable electricity generation,” says assistant research professor Matthew Croucher, who authored the report. “However, the biggest take-away from this study is that if the U.S. is serious about maximizing the societal benefits of solar generation, then we need to look at the national level at how different states can serve not only their own needs, but also those of other states with less ability to create electricity using solar technologies.”
And its not only homeowners that can benefit from installing solar panels. Commercial enterprises, government entities and institutions should also consider going solar if they have properties in the top three states with solar potential.
The full study, including the rankings of all 50 states, can be found at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/10406190. It is called the “Optimal Deployment of Solar Index.”
Tags: installing solar panels, solar energy, solar initiatives, solar potential, solar power
