Solar panels are just the most visible form of distributed energy resources (DER), notes Navigant Research. According to a new report from the research firm, worldwide revenue from all forms of residential distributed generation and energy storage will grow from $52.7 billion annually in 2014 to $71.6 billion in 2023.

According to GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) Q1 2014 U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, the U.S. installed 232 megawatts of residential PV, exceeding the commercial market’s 225 megawatts for the first time in the history of the report.

Walmart has announced that it will double the number of on-site solar energy projects at its United States stores, Sam’s Clubs, and distribution centers by 2020. The commitment is part of Walmart’s global initiative to produce or procure 7 billion kWh of renewable energy by the end of 2020.

Enphase Energy Inc. announced that its partnership with Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO), a leading residential energy efficiency financing program, has resulted in more than 1,200 financed solar systems.

Increasingly, loan products are being offered to homeowners and businesses for the installation of solar. However, barriers still remain. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has convened a working group called “Banking on Solar” to engage lenders and other stakeholders to address these barriers.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced a nearly $1 billion commitment to NY-Sun, which is expected to significantly expand deployment of solar power throughout the state. The NY-Sun initiative provides long-term funding for solar that is expected to boost existing businesses and attract new investments.

The solar power market in the United States has experienced clear skies over the five years to 2014, according to a report by IBISWorld, propelled by favorable government incentives and costs that have continued to fall.

First Power and Light Inc. has formally changed its name to VOLT Solar Systems Inc. The company also announced the opening of a new office in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

Annual installations of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) were 343.1 MW in 2012 and are expected to reach 1,152.3 MW by 2019, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7 percent from 2013 to 2019, according to a new report from Transparency Market Research.