Solar power in Delaware

Solar installation, New Castle

Solar power in Delaware is small industry. Delaware had 150 MW of total installed capacity in 2020. The largest solar farms in the state included the 10 MW Dover Sun Park and the 12 MW Milford Solar Farm.[1]

The expansion of Bruce A. Henry Solar Farm near Georgetown in Sussex County from 23 to 40 acres was completed in 2020.[2][3]

In a 2012 study, a typical 5 kW system will pay for itself in five years, and go on to provide a savings of $37,837 over the balance of its 25-year life. It is estimated that 19% of all electricity use in Delaware can be provided by rooftop solar panels.[4] The state's renewable portfolio standard requires 0.4% from solar in 2012, 0.6% in 2013, 3.5% from solar by 2025, and 25% from renewable sources.[5]

Net metering is available for residential customers up to 25 kW and others from 100 kW to 2 MW depending on type of customer and the utility. Excess generation is credited at retail rate to next month's bill and optionally paid once a year at energy supply rate (normally referred to as "avoided cost").

Installed capacity

Delaware Photovoltaic Capacity (MWp)[6][7][8][9][10][11][1]
Year Capacity Installed % Change
2006 0.8
2007 1.2 0.4 50%
2008 1.8 0.6 50%
2009 3.2 1.4 78%
2010 5.6 2.4 75%
2011 26.5 20.9 373%
2012 46.1 19.6 74%
2013 54 7.9 17.1%
2014 61 7 13%
2015 70 10 16%
2016 97 18 26%
2017 117 20 20.6%
2018 131.9 14.9 12.7%
2019 142.1 10.2 7.7%
2020 150.1 8 5.6%
2021 163.2 13.1 %
2022 251 87.8 %
Utility-scale solar generation in Delaware (GWh)[12]
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2011 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1
2012 22 1 1 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 2 1 1
2013 46 2 3 4 3 5 5 4 4 5 5 3 3
2014 48 2 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 4 5 3 3
2015 48 2 2 4 4 6 6 6 5 4 3 2 4
2016 50 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6
2017 50 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3
2018 49 3 3 5 5 4 5 5 5 4 4 3 3
2019 53 3 3 5 5 6 5 5 5 5 4 4 3
2020 53 3 3 4 5 6 6 6 5 5 4 3 3
2021 57 3 3 5 6 6 6 7 5 6 4 4 3
2022 63 3 4 5 6 6 7 7 7 6 4 4 4
2023 156 6 9 14 16 20 17 18 17 12 12 9 6

References

  1. ^ a b "Delaware Solar". seia.org. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  2. ^ Petree, Rob (January 22, 2020). "DEC and Constellation Complete Expansion of Sussex County Solar Farm". WGMD. Retrieved 2020-01-27.
  3. ^ Yaffe, Edi (December 5, 2015). "A Visit to the Bruce A. Henry Solar Energy Farm". Wharton Public Policy Initiative. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  4. ^ Witkin, Jim. "Report Argues for a Decentralized System of Renewable Power Generation". NYTimes.com. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  5. ^ Renewables Portfolio Standard Archived 2012-05-03 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  7. ^ Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  8. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2010. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  9. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
  10. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  11. ^ Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  12. ^ "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.