US solar industry market increases 34 percent to $11.5 billion in 2012

USA: The US solar Industry has experienced a resurgence over the past year as newly-imposed import tariffs on Chinese solar cells have helped companies compete with their Chinese competitors.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the US solar industry market increased to $11.5 billion, a year-over-year increase of 34 percent.

In 2012, the US installed a record 3,313 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV). At the end of 2012 the U.S. contained 7,221 MW of PV and 546 MW of concentrating solar power, which is enough to power approximately 1.2 million homes.

"There were 16 million solar panels installed in the U.S. last year -- more than 2 panels per second of the work day -- and every one of these panels was bolted down by a member of the US workforce," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA. "We've brought more new solar online in 2012 than in the three prior years combined."