Solar Index

May 2017

Report Analysts: David Rather and Casey Anderson

For more information on our research, please email casey@ohmhomenow.com
 Solar Index Overview
OhmHomes Solar Index analyzes solar permit data on a monthly basis for
geographies in which the data is readily available
The Solar Index is meant to be a sampling (>25%) that is representative of the
market to provide real-time insight into the residential and commercial solar
market performance
Our May report includes the following states and the Appendix includes the
following cities:
California (San Diego, San Diego County Unincorporated, San Jose, Sacramento)
Texas (Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, El Paso)
Arizona (Phoenix, Scottsdale)
Colorado (Denver, Fort Collins, Aurora)
Utah (Salt Lake City, Provo)
Oregon (Portland, Eugene)
The Solar Index will be expanded to other states in the coming months

2
 May 2017 Solar Market Activity
The OhmHome Solar Index fell 23% in January-May of 2017 compared to the
same time period in 2016 and 15% in May compared to May 2016

Solar Index: May 2017

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

Includes California, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Arizona and Colorado

3
 May 2017 Solar Market Activity
The decline was largely driven by California, which declined 28% with most other
states experiencing modest growth or slight declines (except Utah)

Year over Year Growth By State: May

40%
32%
30% 27%

20% 17%

10%

0%
California Texas Oregon Utah Arizona Colorado
-10% -7%

-20%

-30% -27%
-28%

-40%

4
 May 2017 Solar Market Activity
The decline was largely driven by California, which declined 38% with most other
states experiencing modest growth or slight declines

Year over Year Growth By State: Jan-May

80%
62%
60%

40%
24% 23%
20%
9%

0%
California Texas Oregon Utah Arizona Colorado
-1%
-20%

-40%
-38%

-60%

5
 California
California solar permits declined 28% to 1,405 in May from 1,942 in May 2016 and
increased 12% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 38%)

California Solar Index (Permits Issued)

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

Includes San Diego, San Diego County Unincorporated, San Jose and Sacramento

6
 Texas
Texas solar permits increased 27% to 296 in May from 233 in May 2016 and
declined 5% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 24%)

Texas Solar Index (Permits Issued)

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

Includes Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso and Houston

7
 Arizona
Arizona solar permits increased 17% to 459 in May from 393 in May 2016 and
increased 10% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 9%)

Arizona Solar Index (Permits Issued)

500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

Includes Phoenix and Scottsdale

8
 Colorado
Colorado solar permits declined 7% to 160 in May from 172 in May 2016 and
increased 2% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 1.4%)

Colorado Solar Index (Permits Issued)

300

250

200

150

100

50

Includes Denver, Aurora (estimated for May) and Fort Collins

9
 Utah
Utah solar permits declined 27% to 62 in May from 85 in May 2016 and declined
22% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 62%)

Utah Solar Index (Permits Issued)

120

100

80

60

40

20

Includes Salt Lake City and Provo (estimated for May)

10
 Oregon
Oregon solar permits increased 32% to 21 in May from 31 in May 2016 and
increased 5% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 23%)

Oregon Solar Index (Permits Issued)

60

50

40

30

20

10

Includes Portland and Eugene

11
Appendix:
City Detail
 California: San Diego
San Diego solar permits declined 39% to 516 in May from 848 in May 2016 and
increased 5.1% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 41%)

San Diego Solar Index (Permits Issued)

1,200

1,000

800

600

400

200

13
 California: San Diego County
San Diego County (Unincorporated) solar permits declined 33% to 448 in May
from 671 in May 2016 and increased 9% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 43.2%)

San Diego County Solar Index (Permits Issued)

800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

14
 California: San Jose
San Jose solar permits declined 6% to 325 in May from 344 in May 2016 and
increased 33% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 30%)

San Jose Solar Index (Permits Issued)

500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

15
 California: Sacramento
Sacramento solar permits increased 47% to 116 in May from 79 in May 2016 and
increased 14% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 10%)

Sacramento Solar Index (Permits Issued)

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

16
 Texas: Austin
Austin solar permits increased 52% to 126 in May from 83 in May 2016 and
declined 22% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 65%)

Austin Solar Index (Permits Issued)

200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

17
 Texas: Dallas
Dallas solar permits increased 19% to 38 in May from 32 in May 2016 and
increased 3% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 9%)

Dallas Solar Index (Permits Issued)

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

18
 Texas: San Antonio
San Antonio solar permits increased 27% to 62 in May from 49 in May 2016 and
increased 51% from April 2017 (YTD decline of 50%)

San Antonio Solar Index (Permits Issued)

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

19
 Texas: El Paso
El Paso solar permits declined 9% to 50 in May from 55 in May 2016 and
decreased 11% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 32%)

El Paso Solar Index (Permits Issued)

120

100

80

60

40

20

20
 Texas: Houston
Houston solar permits increased 42% to 20 in May from 14 in May 2016 and
increased 18% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 138%)

Houston Solar Index (Permits Issued)

35

30

25

20

15

10

21
 Arizona: Phoenix
Phoenix solar permits increased 17% to 412 in May from 351 in May 2016 and
increased 5% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 16%)

Phoenix Solar Index (Permits Issued)

500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

22
 Arizona: Scottsdale
Scottsdale solar permits increased 12% to 47 in May from 42 in May 2016 and
increased 74% from April 2017 (YTD decrease of 36%)

Scottsdale Solar Index (Permits Issued)

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

23
 Colorado: Denver
Denver solar permits declined 36% to 63 in May from 98 in May 2016 and
declined 26% from April 2017 (YTD decreased of 16%)

Denver Solar Index (Permits Issued)

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

24
 Colorado: Aurora
Aurora solar permits increased 10% to 66 in May from 60 in May 2016 and
increased 40% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 4.5%)

Aurora Solar Index (Permits Issued)

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

25
 Colorado: Fort Collins
Fort Collins solar permits increased 120% to 31 in May from 14 in May 2016 and
increased 24% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 78%)

Fort Collins Solar Index (Permits Issued)

35

30

25

20

15

10

26
 Utah: Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City solar permits declined 27% to 44 in May from 60 in May 2016 and
declined 28% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 69%)

Salt Lake City Solar Index (Permits Issued)

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

27
 Utah: Provo
Provo solar permits declined 28% to 18 in May from 25 in May 2016 and declined
0% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 41%)

Provo Solar Index (Permits Issued)

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

28
 Oregon: Portland
Portland solar permits increased 54% to 37 in May from 24 in May 2016 and
increased 37% from April 2017 (YTD increase of 46%)

Portland Solar Index (Permits Issued)

50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

29
 Oregon: Eugene
Eugene solar permits declined 43% to 4 in May from 7 in May 2016 and declined
56% from April 2017 (YTD decrease of 30%)

Eugene Solar Index (Permits Issued)

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

30