The New York Times recently published an article listing the Top Ten Solar Powered States. The results weren’t surprising overall, though there were a few that required a double take. Here is the final list for 2011:
1. California: 47 percent with 971 megawatts
2. New Jersey: 14 percent with 293 MW
3. Colorado: 5 percent with 108 MW
4. Arizona: 5 percent with 101 MW
5. Nevada: 5 percent with 97 MW
6. Florida: 4 percent with 73 MW
7. New York: 3 percent with 54 MW
8. Pennsylvania: 3 percent with 54 MW
9. New Mexico: 2 percent with 45 MW
10. North Carolina: 2 percent with 42 MW
I wasn’t surprised to see California perched at number one—good for them! I was glad to see Colorado was in the top five, though we are a far cry from stealing #1 anytime soon without some major overhauls. We at David A. Beal continually strive towards accessible, integrated green building practices, and fellow members of the Boulder Green Building Guild share the same vision.
New Jersey shocked me quite a bit. The increase in solar generated power has come from the recent installation of a multitude of solar panels on utility poles and rooftops. The small measures have gone a large way for such a relatively tiny state.
Readers should know that North Carolina, the 10/50 most solar powered state, only comes in at a meager and unimpressive 2%. That means there are 40 states operating under 2%! Perhaps Alaska is exempt but what about other states that enjoy an adequate amount of sun-drenched goodness each year? We still have to develop in leaps in bounds to reach America’s green potential.
Source: Yahoo!, Green
Image Source: Living Off Grid
