Report: U.S. solar capacity can power 50 million homes nationwide

A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has found that the United States now has enough solar capacity to power more than 50 million homes across the country.

The new findings mean that solar energy is cumulatively capable of powering more than one-third of all households nationwide. Part of the U.S. Solar Market Insight report from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie, the findings show that the solar industry added 11.4 GWdc of new electricity generating capacity during this year’s second quarter, a 45 percent year-over-year increase, and a 43 percent increase over the first quarter of this year.

“Solar and storage have grown to a scale most Americans have yet to fully realize, and we simply can’t meet America’s growing energy needs without these technologies,” SEIA CEO Tim Pawlenty said.

Utility-scale solar grew 61 percent year-over-year with nearly 10 GWdc (9.6) installed. The quarter reflects developers moving quickly to bring projects online ahead of the July 2026 deadline for tax credit eligibility. Substantial solar projects will continue through the years ahead, the report said.

Together, solar and storage account for 70 percent of all new capacity added to the grid in the first half of 2026, the report found. The report’s forecasts show that the US solar market will nearly double over the next five years, demonstrating the industry’s ability to deliver large amounts of power to meet the country’s rising energy demand while strengthening grid reliability and managing costs.

“Robust project pipelines and the build out of safe-harbored capacity will sustain roughly 44 GWdc of annual capacity through 2031,” Caitlin Connelly, senior analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said. “However, permitting and the post-ITC transition remain significant headwinds.”