Industry Focus: Solar Power Industry Focus

The US solar electric power industry is broad in scope, including units of global energy companies such as BP Solar International, electronics companies such as Sharp and Sanyo, and dedicated solar manufacturers such as First Solar and SunPower. The US is the world’s fourth-largest solar electric market, behind Germany, Japan, and Spain. Among the most important domestic markets are California, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and New York. Despite increased interest and funding and rapidly evolving technology, solar energy accounts for less than 1 percent of the energy used in the US today.