PJM Predicts Rooftop Solar to Swell to Nearly 12 Gigawatts Over the Next 15 Years

Customer-side solar has grown to provide over 4 gigawatts of electricity while grid-connected installations supply more than 1.5 gigawatts, from virtually no solar on the PJM grid a decade ago, according to an Aug. 22 report from the system operator.

• Solar generation represents a tiny fraction of the 180 gigawatts of capacity committed to serve the needs of 65 million people in the PJM footprint.
• Rooftop installations, which accounted for the biggest increase in solar generation in the PJM region over the last decade, will rise to nearly 12 gigawatts over the next 15 years.
• New wholesale solar projects planned through 2023 represent an additional 3.4 gigawatts.
• Two of the nation’s top ten solar states — North Carolina (second) and New Jersey (seventh) — are served by PJM.
• The largest amount of planned wholesale solar generation in the region is destined for Virginia with 1.8 gigawatts of projects, followed by North Carolina with 634 megawatts.