【Hollywood Archives】

With the Trump administration targeting various government clean energy programs,Hollywood Archives we can think of no better time to celebrate the U.S. cities with the most installed solar energy.

A new report found the country has made some serious solar strides in 2016, particularly in 20 cities across the country.

SEE ALSO: Coal-fired electricity is at its lowest since officials started keeping track

America's "shining cities" helped the country attain 42,000 megawatts of solar energy capacity by the end of 2016 -- enough energy to power 8.3 million average homes and slash annual carbon emissions by 52.3 million metric tons, the Frontier Group and the Environment America Research and Policy Center reported.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Last year, the 20 top U.S. cities collectively accounted for nearly as much solar power as the entire country had installed at the end of 2010.

Solar power is rising across the U.S. and around the world as technology prices and installation costs plummet. In many major economies, solar power (sans subsidies) is starting to outcompete coal and natural gas, and new solar projects are costing less to build than wind farms, Bloomberg New Energy Finance found.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Top 20 Solar Cities in 2016 (Total Installed Solar PV Capacity)

1. San Diego, CA

2. Los Angeles, CA

3. Honolulu, HI

4. San Jose, CA

5. Phoenix, AZ

6. Indianapolis, IN

7. New York, NY

8. San Antonio, TX

9. Albuquerque, NM

10. Las Vegas, NV

11. San Fransisco, CA

12. Denver, CO

13. Sacramento, CA

14. New Orleans, LA

15. Riverside, CA

16. Austin, TX

17. Portland, OR

18. Washington, D.C.

19. Jacksonville, FL

20. Newark, NJ

Despite the serious increase in solar capacity, the majority of U.S. cities have only just started to tap into their true solar energy potential, the two environmental groups said in their report.

Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and San Antonio have the technical potential to generate "tens to hundreds of times more solar energy" than they do now, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)'s rooftop solar analysis for small buildings.

The map below depicts each state's level of solar installation, so you can get a better sense of how beginners in the Midwest compare to "Solar Stars" on the West Coast -- though even the top solar cities have room for improvement.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

According to the report, San Diego -- the nation's current solar energy installation leader -- has developed "less than 14 percent of its technical potential for solar power on small buildings."

With the Trump administration promising to double down on coal-fired power plants and unravel federal policies for clean energy, U.S. cities and states now have an even bigger role to play in tackling climate change.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This solar-powered machine transforms desert sand into glass sculptures

---

Topics Sustainability

• Entertainment
• Social Good
• Shopping
• Science
• Life
• Digital Culture
• Deals
• Games

• Time to Unite
• Watch Laura Ingraham’s guest mock her for losing advertisers on live TV
• Summer movie preview: What to watch if you’re in a dark mood
• The biggest surprise out of RSA? A fox and a magician.
• Samsung Unpacked stream is set for May 12, 2025
• Exxon, Suncor sued for stoking climate change
• Aircraft startup Wright Electric wants to use electric planes for flights in the Middle East
• Barack Obama pens heartfelt 'Time 100' profile for Parkland teens
• Best headphones deal: Save up to 51% on Beats at Amazon
• Facebook's facial recognition tech could cost it billions of dollars

• Wordle today: The answer and hints for November 24
• Cardinals vs. Seahawks 2024 livestream: How to watch NFL online
• Best dash cam deals: Save on brands like Nextbase, Garmin, and more.
• Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons 2024 livestream: Watch NBA for free
• Memphis vs. Tulane football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more
• JonBenét Ramsey: What happened and why Netflix is releasing another doc about her
• Andrew Tate 'online university’ suffers breach: 800,000 users' data exposed
• Best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deal: Get $75 off Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle
• BYU vs. Arizona State football livestreams: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more
• Best Black Friday Steam Deck deal: Save $32 on the Elgato Stream Deck+

• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 12, 2025
• The #MeToo men are getting their comebacks. The women they hurt won't.
• New breakthrough could make batteries safer—without compromising power, charge
• Twitter is down worldwide
• SpaceX's Starlink satellite launch in pictures
• Snapchat opens up selfie lens creation to everyone in Lens Studio
• The Obama family is getting the swimming pool it greatly deserves
• 'Handmaid's Tale' Season 2: What critics think
• Waitin’ on the Student Debt Jubilee
• Amazon releases mobile web browser called 'Internet'

• I'm a college professor. My advice to young people who feel hooked on tech
• A pregnant Cardi B twerked all over her Coachella stage
• Steven Spielberg will join the DC universe for a 'Blackhawk' movie
• Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has a 4K screen, dual cameras
• Mary Shows Up
• 5 burning questions about Amy Schumer's truly baffling 'I Feel Pretty'
• 'God of War' original trilogy: A full story recap
• You can now use Venmo to pay for Grubhub, Seamless, Eat24 delivery
• Operation Mensch
• Book that sunny summer holiday now with these flights for £39