The future of solar energy remains promising, but challenges persist as the industry continues to grow. A major driving force behind solar adoption is the steady rise in residential electricity rates, which are expected to keep climbing year after year. . As we begin 2025, the future of the solar industry looks brighter than ever – though there appear to be reasons for concern. Due to a global push for clean, renewable energy, the industry has seen continued growth, with an average annual growth rate of 26% over the past decade. Today, over 5. . The Future of Solar Energy considers only the two widely recognized classes of technologies for converting solar energy into electricity — photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP), sometimes called solar thermal) — in their current and plausible future forms. Because energy supply. . The future of solar energy is set for exceptional growth as advancements in technology, increased investments, and strong policy support continue to push the industry forward. In recent years, solar power has proven to be a key solution for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating climate. . In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we expect that U. renewable capacity additions—especially solar—will continue to drive the growth of U. power generation over the next two years. We expect U. utilities and independent power producers will add 26 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity. . The production and consumption of energy must be converted to renewable alternatives in order to meet climate targets. During the past few decades, solar photovoltaic systems (PVs) have become increasingly popular as an alternative energy source. PVs generate electricity from sunlight, but their. .