Setbacks aside, Nev. a leader in solar installations
By Daniel Rothberg, Las Vegas Sun
Despite a sharp decrease in applications for new rooftop solar projects, Nevada remains among the top five states for the deployment of solar resources. When Nevada was compared to other states, it ranked fifth for solar installations during the first half of 2016, a trade group said in a study released Monday.
One reason for the result: large-scale solar projects. According to the study from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association, Nevada continues to break ground on large-scale projects, even as sales for rooftop solar systems in the state remain a fraction of what they were during 2015.
As of June, about 81 megawatts of large-scale solar resources had been installed in Nevada (for reference, one megawatt can power about 600 homes). Several projects became operational at the end of 2015, including a solar operation at Nellis Air Force Base and one near Tonopah. NV Energy began construction on two additional large-scale projects this summer, both expected to operate next year.