On September 8, 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) released its Solar Futures Study, which examines the role of solar in decarbonizing the power grid.[1] The study, produced by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), recommends "strong decarbonization policies coupled with a massive deployment of renewable energy sources, large-scale electrification, and grid modernization." According to the study, solar energy could account for as much as 40% of the nation's electricity supply by 2035 and 45% by 2050. To reach these levels, the U.S. must install an average of 30 GW of solar per year between now and 2025 and 60 GW per year from 2025-2030, which would total 1,000 GW of solar by 2035. By 2050, total solar capacity would need to reach 1,600 GW. Decarbonizing the entire energy system could require 3,000 GW of solar by 2050 due to increased electrification in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors. By comparison, in 2020, the U.S. installed 15 GW, bringing the total to 76 GW, or 3% of the current electricity supply.

According to the study, solar will employ 500,000 to 1.5 million people by 2035, and the clean energy transition will create about 3 million jobs across all technologies. The clean energy transition will also result in health and cost savings of $1.1 trillion to $1.7 trillion due to reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality.

[1] https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-solar-futures-study-providing-blueprint-zero-carbon-grid