Even without a national renewable energy policy, U.S. solar has made great strides. The cumulative installed solar capacity of the United States has reached 10 GW, increasing U.S. global share of solar installations by 5% since 2008. Better technology and practices have also brought down the cost of solar. Year over year, the average residential PV system is now down 11.5% from 2012 to $4.81/W, while the average non-residential system is down 14.7% to $3.71/W, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Here's a quick overview of the various solar technologies at play in the United States. Read on to see how they work and how they've grown along with the U.S. solar market.
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