Thanks for the Energy, Mr. Sun

In the decade measured from 2004 to 2014, solar power produced in the United States leaped 139,000 percent. This leap was propelled by a number of local and state incentives, cheaper solar panels and a federal tax credit shaving the cost of upgrading. Yet, even with these incentives, solar power provided less than half of 1 percent of the energy produced in the United States as of late 2014. The potential remains massive, as the sun could power the entire country 100 times over. Dear reader, let's take a look at some factoids illuminating the solar energy picture:

*Enough energy strikes Earth every 104 minutes to power the entire world for a year.

*The United States has the space and sunlight to provide 100 times its annual power demand with solar.

*Rooftop solar panels alone could meet 1/5 of U.S. electricity demand.

*Carbon savings from existing U.S. solar panels offset the  equivalent of 3.5 million cars.

*Since the mid-2000s, the power generated by new solar installations has grown, on average, 66% a year, far outpacing any other energy source.

*Solar industry jobs have increased 50% since 2010.

*Venture capital funding for solar in the first quarter of 2013: $126 million. In the first quarter of 2014: $251 million.

*Average cost of solar panels in 1972: $75/watt. Average cost today: Less than $1/watt.

*Expected cost of Chinese panels in 2015: 42c/watt. (Source for the above: "Here Comes the Sun," Mother Jones, September/October 2014.)
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 Leaving these factoids and looking at some graphic illustrations of generating capacity and the decrease in solar panel installation,we will look at four graphic presentations:

1;) New electricity generating capacity installed in the United States, first quarter of 2014
Solar - 74% --- Wind - 20% --- Natural gas - 4% --- Geothermal - 1% --- Other - 1% (Source: Solar Energy Industries Association [SEIA] )..

2,) New solar installations in the United States (in megawatts)
From barely appearing on the graph in 2004, solar installations increased to nearly 5,000 megawatts in 2013. Utility installations accounted for about 3,000 of the nearly 5,000 megawatts, followed respectably by non-residential and then residential installations. (Source: SEIA)

3.) The cost of putting solar panels on a typical house dropped nearly 70% from 1998 to 2014. The cost dropped from nearly $90,000 to nearly $30,000. Assumes 6kW house. (Sources: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, SEIA)

4;) Total installed photovoltaic capacity (in gigawatts)
Among the ten countries compared, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Australia, France and Spain have installed photovoltaic capacity of about six gigawatts or less. The United States ranks sixth, with about 13 gigawatts. Japan, Italy and China outrank the U.S. and Germany is far ahead of the other nations, with just over 35 gigawatts of installed capacity. (Source: Internal Energy Agency). .