14 utility-scale solar photovoltaic (Solar PV) plants totaling 177 MW were put online in the United States in November 2013, according to the latest Energy Infrastructure Update by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

These represent nearly half of the 394 MW of new electricity generation commissioned during the month, all of which came from renewable energy. Over the first 11 months of 2013 the United States put online 222 utility-scale PV and concentrating solar power (CSP) plants totaling 2.63 GW, a 68% increase over the same period in 2012.

Unlike European statistics, this does not include behind-the-meter residential and commercial PV. Federal agencies and grid operators typically either do not count such plants or do not make such information publicly available, leading to a gap in formal statistics.

Also, while the PV capacity added during this time is 20% of all new generation, it is dwarfed by the 6.57 GW of natural gas generation that was built in the United States in the first 11 months of the year. The nation has also built two new coal-fired units at 1.54 GW, as the three largest sources of new generation.

681 MW of utility-scale PV, CSP added in two months

As of November 2013, utility-scale PV and CSP represent 0.61% of the nation's electricity generation. Due to lower capacity factors that many forms of conventional generation, the total contribution to the power supply is lower.

GTM Research (Boston, Massachusetts U.S.) has predicted a sharp increase in U.S. utility-scale solar installations in the fourth quarter of 2013 in its latest U.S Solar Market Insight report. In October and November 2013 alone, the nation installed 681 MW of new utility-scale solar capacity.

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