Energy & Science

Americans Poised to Set New Rooftop Solar Record Despite Virus

A worker installs solar panels on the roof of a home in California.Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

America’s residential-solar industry is on the verge of a record-breaking year after overcoming a bruising due to the coronavirus pandemic.

BloombergNEF now forecasts 3 gigawatts of residential-solar installations in 2020, topping the previous high of 2.8 gigawatts set last year, according to a report released Monday. BNEF expects another 3.6 gigawatts to be installed in 2021. And it’s not just residential solar seeing growth -- onshore wind and utility-scale solar are also having a robust year.