Several public power cities are making strides when it comes to solar installations, a new report from Environment America says.
The report, “Shining Cities 2019: The Top U.S. Cities for Solar Energy,” is the sixth annual edition of a survey of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in major U.S. cities compiled by Environment America.
“Our sixth annual survey of solar energy in America’s biggest cities finds that the amount of solar power installed in just 20 U.S. cities exceeds the amount installed in the entire United States at the end of 2010,” Environment America said in the report, which was released this month.
Of the 57 cities surveyed in all six editions of this report, 79 percent more than doubled their total installed solar PV capacity between 2013 and 2018.
The report said that one-third of the 57 cities surveyed in all six editions of the survey more than quadrupled their installed solar PV capacity from 2013 to 2018.
Los Angeles leads nation in total installed solar PV capacity
Los Angeles, which is served by public power utility Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, leads the nation in total installed solar PV capacity among the 69 cities surveyed in the report, as it did from 2013 to 2015 and in 2017. The report said that since 2016, Los Angeles has added over 150 MW of solar capacity.
Several other public power communities are also listed as being among the top 20 cities by total installed solar PV capacity as of the end of 2018:
- San Antonio (#7): Texas public power city served by CPS Energy
- Jacksonville (#13): Florida public power city served by JEA
- Austin (#15): Texas public power city served by Austin Energy
- Riverside (#16): California public power city served by Riverside Public Utilities
- Sacramento (#17): California public power city served by SMUD
Cities with 50 or more watts of solar PV per person
Several public power communities were also recognized in the report for being leaders when it comes to rankings of cities with 50 or more watts of solar PV per person as of the end of 2018.
Leading the list in terms of public power communities is Burlington, Vermont (Burlington Electric Department), which earned a per capita rank of 4.
In the eighth spot was Riverside, followed by San Antonio (#12), Los Angeles (#14), Sacramento (#17), Jacksonville (#19) and Austin (#22).
The report is available here.
