The National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the Department of Energy is collecting logistical information on every photovoltaic installation in the country in order to monitor industry trends and estimate capacity.  Almost 60,000 systems are currently in the database and more can be added by the public at the Open PV Project.  The solar panel array’s location, size, cost, and date of installation are requested.  Other information can also be submitted such as the brands of panels and inverters used.  Photos of the project can also be uploaded.  The average cost of the arrays is $8.88 per DC watt of installed capacity after all incentives.

The NREL supports the advancement of all types of renewable energy from alternative fuels to electricity generation and storage.