LBNL Tracking the Sun — 1.39M Solar Installations

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's annual Tracking the Sun research dataset, ingested into PermitStack and queryable through our REST API. 1,388,888 distributed solar PV installations across 24 U.S. states, with installation dates spanning 1998 through December 2024.

1,388,888
Installations
24
States
1998–2024
Date range
Annual
Refresh cadence

About this dataset

Most PermitStack data comes from city building-permit portals refreshed daily. Tracking the Sun is different: it's an annual research dataset compiled by LBNL from utility interconnection records, state incentive programs, and solar installer reporting — not from city permit offices. The latest drop was published September 2025 and covers installs through end of 2024. The next update is expected in fall 2026.

Heads up: TTS provides installer name, system size (kW DC), installed price, equipment make/model, and customer segment (RES / RES_MF / COM / GOV), but only city, state, and ZIP — no street address. If you need address-level resolution, use our city-permit feeds. If you want install-price benchmarks, installer market share, or per-state PV adoption trends, this is the dataset.

Per-state breakdown

Coverage is uneven because TTS only includes states whose utilities and incentive programs report to LBNL. CA, NY, HI, and CT are excluded here because PermitStack already covers those through dedicated state programs (CA Statewide Solar, NY-Sun, Honolulu, CT RSIP).

State Installations Earliest install Latest install Search
AZ · Arizona309,0341999-09-092024-12-31All AZ solar →
TX · Texas224,5832000-01-012024-12-31All TX solar →
NJ · New Jersey210,7592000-08-012024-12-31All NJ solar →
MA · Massachusetts142,1082000-01-012024-12-31All MA solar →
CO · Colorado108,8792002-07-082024-04-02All CO solar →
IL · Illinois78,9881999-03-012024-12-30All IL solar →
NM · New Mexico52,7421998-03-012024-12-31All NM solar →
UT · Utah40,7742007-08-212024-07-01All UT solar →
VT · Vermont31,2011999-11-022024-12-31All VT solar →
MD · Maryland29,9432006-05-082024-11-30All MD solar →
WI · Wisconsin20,0612002-07-152024-12-27All WI solar →
DC · District of Columbia18,4732001-02-102024-12-31All DC solar →
ME · Maine16,7291998-07-022024-12-31All ME solar →
MN · Minnesota16,5562001-01-012024-03-28All MN solar →
FL · Florida13,5622002-12-182024-12-31All FL solar →
NH · New Hampshire10,1982009-02-062024-12-12All NH solar →
DE · Delaware8,3982002-04-222024-12-31All DE solar →
PA · Pennsylvania7,3892002-03-312014-02-14All PA solar →
WA · Washington7,3662011-08-112019-11-18All WA solar →
VA · Virginia7,2822004-02-152019-12-31All VA solar →
OR · Oregon7,2201998-02-282024-08-06All OR solar →
OH · Ohio4,2382002-04-182024-11-22All OH solar →
RI · Rhode Island3,8702008-04-142024-12-31All RI solar →
AR · Arkansas2082009-04-202011-12-13All AR solar →

What's in each record

Every TTS row in PermitStack carries the full LBNL field set in source_raw; we extract the most useful fields to top-level columns for fast filtering.

address_city · city of install
address_state · state code
address_zip · 5-digit ZIP
date_filed/issued/completed · installation date
category · always SOLAR
property_type · RESIDENTIAL / COMMERCIAL / INDUSTRIAL
estimated_value · total installed price (USD)
description_raw · kW size, modules, inverter, battery
contractor_id · resolved installer (10k+ unique)
source_raw · full LBNL row as JSONB

Query examples

All TTS data is queryable through standard endpoints. Filter to a single TTS state with the jurisdiction parameter, or pull all solar in a state across every source by using state + category=solar.

# All TTS Massachusetts installs, residential only
GET https://api.permit-stack.com/v1/permits/search
  ?jurisdiction="Massachusetts (LBNL Tracking the Sun)"
  &property_type=residential

# Top 5 installers in New Jersey by install count
GET https://api.permit-stack.com/v1/contractors/top
  ?jurisdiction="New Jersey (LBNL Tracking the Sun)"
  &limit=5

# All solar in Arizona, any source (TTS + city permits)
GET https://api.permit-stack.com/v1/permits/search
  ?state=AZ&category=solar

Build with the largest open solar dataset on the web

Free tier: 100 requests/day. Paid plans from $19/mo.

Get an API key →