Solar power in Mississippi

Mississippi has substantial potential for solar power, though it remains an underutilized generation method. The rate of installations has increased in recent years, reaching 438 MW of installed capacity in early 2023, ranking 36th among the states.[1] Rooftop photovoltaics could provide 31.2% of all electricity used in Mississippi from 11,700 MW if solar panels were installed on every available roof.[2]

Solar panels

In 2011, the Sierra Club sued the United States Department of Energy which was providing investment in a coal gasification plant being built by Mississippi Power.[3] In 2012 Mississippi Power had only 0.05% renewables in its power mix. In a settlement in 2014, Mississippi Power agreed to allow net metering, and to offer 100 MW of wind or solar power purchase agreements. Mississippi is one of only two states, along with Florida, to have no potential for standard commercial wind power, having no locations that would provide at least 30% capacity factor, although 30,000 MW of 100 meter high turbines would operate at 25% capacity factor.[4]

Solar-powered pump, Oxford

Georgia Power which provides energy in southeast Mississippi has started a program to contract for 210 MW of solar power in 2014, possibly increasing to 525 MW. 100 MW would be from small scale distributed installations.[5]

Offering net metering is required by federal law, but Mississippi is one of only four states to not have adopted a statewide policy on net metering, which means it needs to be negotiated with the utility.[6][7]

Statistics
Source: NREL[8]
Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]
Year Capacity Change % Change
20090.1
20100.30.1200%
20110.60.3100%
20120.70.117%
20131.00.343%
20141.000%
20151.10.110%
201660.9545%
201772661200%
2018187115260%
2019242.355.329%
2020318.476.131%
2021319.61.2 %
2022437117.4 %
Utility-scale solar generation in Mississippi (GWh)[17]
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
201784000013141113141414
2018326201630343735343227281716
2019322191626313532333031202722
2020434232734444945424334363027
20213032625354646424142

Installations

See also

References
  1. "Mississippi Solar | SEIA". www.seia.org. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  2. Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment
  3. Sierra Club suing DOE over Kemper coal plant, Mississippi Business Journal, March 11, 2011
  4. Mississippi Wind Power
  5. Advanced Solar Initiative Archived 2014-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, Georgia Power
  6. "newenergychoices.org" (PDF). www.newenergychoices.org. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  7. "Guide to Mississippi incentives & tax credits in 2023". www.solarreviews.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  8. "PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  9. Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-06. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
  10. Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 20. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  11. Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-28.
  12. Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  13. Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
  14. Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26.
  15. "Mississippi Solar | SEIA". www.seia.org. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  16. Solar report cleanenergy.org
  17. "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  18. Solar power breaking new ground in South Mississippi, Sun Herald
  19. "Solar Ground Breaking Ceremony Held at Mississippi Navy Base". Retrieved 3 August 2023.
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