The US Department of Energy has announced more than $59 million (£39.2m) in funding to support solar energy in the country.

Around $45 million (£30m) – part of the Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative – will go towards bringing innovative solar technologies to market.

More than $14 million (£9.3m) of the funding will support installations in homes, businesses and communities.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said: “As the price of solar continues to drop, the Energy Department is committed to supporting a robust domestic solar manufacturing sector that will help American business meet growing demand and help American families and businesses save money by making solar a cheaper and more accessible source of clean electricity.”

The US has installed more than 17GW of solar energy so far – equivalent to powering around 3.5 million homes.