Tue, May 21st 2024 at 6:37 PMIt is currently a $4 billion industry in the state that is expected to get much bigger.
According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, in 2023, Utah ranked 32nd in the nation for solar energy capacity and is now 14th.The amount of solar power produced in the state is expected to grow by 150% within the next five years.In mid May, the Biden administration announced it would double tariffs on solar cells made in China from 25% to 50%.Despite that the president of the SEIA said they don't expect the tariffs to increase prices in the U.S.
"Trade issues continue to challenge us," said SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. "The exciting news, actually, is that in the last 18 months or so, about 60 manufacturers have announced plans to either build or grow their manufacturing capacity in the United States. So we’re really reshoring a lot of that capacity we lost to other countries.”
According to the SEIA, there are currently 72,512 solar installations in Utah. The solar industry supports the careers of 7,300 Utahns and has invested $4.3 billion into the state’s economy. There is enough solar installed in Utah to power 510,000 homes each year.