Solar power in Indiana has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit for any size project. [1]
In 2015, Indiana ranked 18th among U.S. states for installed solar power with 136 MW of photovoltaic panels. [2] An estimated 18% of electricity in Indiana could be provided by rooftop solar panels. [3]
In 2011, Indiana's largest solar installation was the six acre array located on the roof of the Maj. Gen. Emmett J. Bean Federal Center in Lawrence, Indiana, capable of generating a peak power of over 2 MW. [4] A 17.5MW plant built at the Indianapolis airport in 2013 was the largest airport solar farm in the U.S. [5] A 9MW solar farm was built at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2014. [6] [7] The 3.2MW Rockville Solar II is the largest solar roof installation in the state. [8]
The Mammoth Solar project in Northwest Indiana broke ground in October 2021, and when complete it will be the largest solar project in the United States, with more than 2.8 million panels producing more than 1 gigawatt of power. [9] [10]
The Government of Indiana has taken a variety of actions in order to encourage solar energy use within the state.
The state has a net metering program that allows installations of up to 1 MW of on-site electrical generation to continuously roll over any excess generation to the next month. Participation is limited to 1% of utilities most recent peak summer demand. [11] Peak summer demand for the state for 2011 was 20,251 MW. [12]
Indiana's Northern Indiana Public Service Company, NIPSCO, offers a feed-in tariff of $0.30/kWh for systems from 5 to 10 kW, and $0.26/kWh for systems from 10 kW to 2 MW. [13] AES Indiana has a Renewable Energy Production program that pays $0.24/kWh for solar from 20 kW to 100 kW and $0.20/kWh for solar arrays of from 100 kW to 10 MW. Payments are for 15 years, participation is limited, and one third of the program, 45,900 MWh/year, will be made available through a reverse auction. No new applications will be accepted beyond March 2013. [14]
The Indiana Office of Energy Development has created the Indiana Solar Energy Working Group to promote the development of solar energy, including local manufacturing. [15]
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Year | Capacity | Installed | % Change |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | 0.3 | 0.3 | >200% |
2010 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 67% |
2011 | 3.5 | 3 | 600% |
2012 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 26% |
2013 | 49.4 | 45 | 1022% |
2014 | 112 | 59 | 111% |
2015 | 136 | 24 | 21% |
2016 | 217 | 81 | 60% |
2017 | 280 | 63 | 29% |
2018 | 327 | 47 | 16.7% |
2019 | 420 | 93 | 28.4% |
2020 | 473.3 | 53.3 | 12.6% |
2021 | 1,618.8 | 1,145.5 | % |
2022 | 1,640 | 21.2 | % |
Year | Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 11 |
2014 | 103 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 |
2015 | 155 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
2016 | 227 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 15 |
2017 | 276 | 8 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 18 | 15 | 12 |
2018 | 290 | 12 | 10 | 29 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 38 | 32 | 27 | 21 | 9 | 11 |
2019 | 322 | 13 | 20 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 35 | 43 | 40 | 29 | 24 | 15 | 13 |
2020 | 358 | 12 | 17 | 27 | 31 | 37 | 48 | 45 | 42 | 35 | 30 | 19 | 15 |
2021 | 532 | 24 | 25 | 45 | 63 | 71 | 69 | 68 | 69 | 68 | 52 | 47 | 68 |
2022 | 1,162 | 60 | 72 | 94 | 101 | 121 | 142 | 131 | 122 | 110 | 100 | 64 | 45 |
2023 | 243 | 47 | 86 | 110 |
As of mid-2023, New York has over 4,717 MW of solar power installed, generating almost 5% of the state's electricity.
As of the first quarter of 2023, Washington State has 604 MW of solar power electricity generation. This is an increase from about 300 MW in 2021 and 27 MW in 2013.
Solar power in Kentucky has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit, available through 2016, for any size project. Kentucky could generate 10% of all of the electricity used in the United States from land cleared from coal mining in the state. Covering just one-fifth with photovoltaics would supply all of the state's electricity.
Solar power in Ohio has been increasing, as the cost of photovoltaics has decreased. Ohio installed 10 MW of solar in 2015. Ohio adopted a net metering rule which allows any customer generating up to 25 kW to use net metering, with the kilowatt hour surplus rolled over each month, and paid by the utility once a year at the generation rate upon request. For hospitals there is no limit on size, but two meters are required, one for generation, the other for utility supplied power.
Solar power in Rhode Island has become economical due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives, particularly a 30% federal tax credit, available through 2016, for any size project. A typical residential installation could pay for itself in utility bill savings in 14 years, and generate a profit for the remainder of its 25 year life. Larger systems, from 10 kW to 5 MW, receive a feed-in tariff of up to 33.45¢/kWh.
Solar power in Kansas has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives.
Solar power in West Virginia on rooftops can provide 23% of all electricity used in West Virginia from 6,300 MW of solar panels, but West Virginia will be the last state in the United States to reach grid parity - the point where solar panels are cheaper than grid electricity - without incentives, due to the low cost of electricity - about $0.062/kWh. The point where grid parity is reached is a product of the average insolation and the average cost of electricity. At $0.062/kWh and 4.3 sun-hours/day, solar panels would need to come down to ~$1,850/kW installed to achieve grid parity. The first state in the US to achieve grid parity was Hawaii. Solar power's favorable carbon footprint compared to fossil fuels is a major motivation for expanding renewable energy in the state, especially when compared to coal to generate electrical power.
Solar power in Iowa is limited but growing, with 137 megawatts (MW) installed by the end of 2019 and 27 MW installed during that year, ranking the state 40th among U.S. states. Iowa also generated 0.23% of the state's total electricity production in 2019 from solar energy; an amount sufficient to power over 17,000 Iowa homes. The state's early position as a major wind-power provider may have limited early large-scale solar investment.
Solar power in Maine on rooftops, utilizing 6,300 megawatts (MW) of solar panels, can provide 60% of the electricity used in Maine according to a 2016 U.S. Department of Energy study. Maine and Vermont are tied for the second highest rooftop solar potential in the country, only behind the state of California. A 2020 estimate suggests that a typical 5.6 kilowatt (kW) residential system will pay for itself in 6-7 years and generate a profit of $45,000 over the rest of its 25-year life from the tax credits and utility savings.
Solar power in Oklahoma can provide 44.1% of all electricity used in Oklahoma from 19,300 MW of rooftop solar panels. This scenario is extremely unlikely though because the cost of electricity in Oklahoma is among the lowest in the nation.
Solar power in Arkansas on rooftops can provide 33.3% of all electricity used in Arkansas from 12,200 MW of solar panels.
Solar power in Alabama on rooftops could theoretically provide 29.8% of all electricity used in Alabama, with 20,400 MW of solar panels potentially installed on rooftops.
Solar power in Georgia on rooftops can provide 31% of all electricity used in Georgia.
Solar power in Minnesota expanded significantly in the early 2010s as a result of the cost decrease of photovoltaics and favorable policies. By 2016, it began to grow quickly.
Solar power in Maryland is supported by the state's legislation regarding the Renewable Portfolio Standard and Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program. The target for renewable energy as of 2017 is 20% by 2020, including 2% from solar power.
Solar power in Missouri has been a growing industry since the early 2010s. Solar power is capable of generating 42.7% of the electricity used in Missouri from rooftop solar panels totaling 28,300 MW.
Solar power in Idaho comprised 550 MW in 2019. A 2016 report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that rooftops alone have the potential to host 4,700 MW of solar panels, and thus provide 26.4% of all electricity used in Idaho. A large increase in the state's solar generating capacity began starting year 2015 when 461 MW of solar power was contracted to be built in Idaho.
Solar power in New Hampshire provides a small percentage of the state's electricity. State renewable requirements and declining prices have led to some installations. Photovoltaics on rooftops can provide 53.4% of all electricity used in New Hampshire, from 5,300 MW of solar panels, and 72% of the electricity used in Concord, New Hampshire. A 2016 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 9 years, and generate a profit of $34,196 over the rest of its 25-year life. A loan or lease provides a net savings each year, including the first year. New Hampshire has a rebate program which pays $0.75/W for residential systems up to 5 kW, for up to 50% of the system cost, up to $3,750. However, New Hampshire's solar installation lagged behind nearby states such as Vermont and New York, which in 2013 had 10 times and 25 times more solar, respectively.
Solar power in Vermont provides almost 11% of the state's in-state electricity production as of 2018. A 2009 study indicated that distributed solar on rooftops can provide 18% of all electricity used in Vermont. A 2012 estimate suggests that a typical 5 kW system costing $25,000 before credits and utility savings will pay for itself in 10 years, and generate a profit of $34,956 over the rest of its 25-year life.
Solar power in Tennessee is capable of producing much of the state's electricity; however, the industry remains in early stages in the state. With 129 MW of solar power in 2015, Tennessee ranked 20th among states for installed solar capacity.