Duke Energy, one of the nation’s largest electric power holding companies, recently acquired a solar portfolio from SunPower Corp. The purchase includes the 15 megawatt (MW) Wildwood Solar II array, and the 20 MW Rio Bravo I and 20 MW Rio Bravo II systems, all located in Kern County, California.

The three acquisitions neighbor two pre-existing Duke Energy solar sites, and bring the total of the company’s solar holdings to 181 MW in California alone, and 2,900 MW overall solar capacity within its 52,000 MW portfolio.

In an annual Solar Jobs Census report from The Solar Foundation, Pennsylvania was found to have experienced a 23% growth in its state solar industry, representing an increase from approximately 2,356 to 3,061 workers. 

Recent statistics have shown a promising future for global solar development. The most recent BP Statistical Review of World Energy has shown that renewable energy was the fastest growing energy source in 2017, with solar being a major contributor.

Global energy demand continues to rise with economic growth, but the growth of fossil fuel use is being hindered by that of renewable energy. New findings show that renewables accounted for 30% of all energy growth, a sizable chunk of the 2.1% increase in overall demand.