California solar energy statistics

California is the longtime nation leader in installed solar power capacity, at the end of 2009, California had an installed cumulative solar power capacity of 1,102 megawatts, 10 times more than second ranked New Jersey.

In 2008 California installed 158 MW of solar photovoltaics, more than doubling 2007 amount of 78 MW.

In 2009, California installed 200 megawatts of solar capacity, almost four times the amount of New Jersey, the second ranked US solar state.

Solar energy sector in 2009 added more than 5000 renewable energy jobs in California. It is estimated that more than 30,000 people are employed by solar energy industry in California.

California has the world's largest solar power plant, the 354 MW SEGS thermal power plant.

It has been calculated that California has total solar power potential to install almost 17 million MW of solar power capacity.

California currently has little less than 70,000 solar energy projects.

California is currently on the right track to achieve its goal in installing 3,000 MW of photovoltaics (PV) by 2016.

In the first three quarters of 2009 California installed 250 MW of solar PV.

If current solar power growth trend continues, California will by 2017 reach its million solar roofs goal.