State-by-State: A Definitive List of Solar Policy Resources

If your organization isn’t located in one of the more obvious top solar states, fear not. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) publishes a useful state-by-state list that details each state’s solar policies to help you make informed decisions about your own company’s renewable energy use.

This is a great page to bookmark to keep track of how much money your state is investing in solar as well as the following information:

  • Amount of kilowatts installed
  • Utility incentive programs
  • Notable projects
  • Local solar companies
  • Legislative updates
  • State priorities

According to SEIA, California is considered the top solar state. A deep dive into the reasons why, courtesy of the site list, tells us:

  • There are currently more than 2,387 solar companies in California, employing 75,598 people.
  • In 2015, California installed 3,266 MW of solar electric capacity.
  • In 2015, California invested $7.268 billion on solar installations.
  • California is expected to install 20,487 MW of solar electric capacity over the next five years, more than two times the amount installed over the previous five.

You can find encouraging information about solar in all states, including such up-and-comers as West Virginia—which ranks 43rd nationally in installed solar capacity, but boasts a 61% increase since 2014.

See the specifics of your state by clicking on the interactive map.

SEIA’s state-by-state breakdown

See our list of sites that provide information on solar incentives and policies.