Thanks to a state directive mandating the use of more renewable energy and a new federal priority on advancing renewable projects on public lands, solar power claimed the first five spots on this year's ENR California Top Starts ranking for projects that broke ground in 2011.
Those five solar projects totaled $7.9 billion, a 52% jump over the combined value of the top five on last year's list (ENR California 4/11/11), which was dominated by high-profile transportation projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.