NAICS 221114

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the framework U.S. federal statistical agencies use to categorize business establishments for collecting, analyzing, and publishing economic data. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget and adopted in 1997 to replace the SIC system, NAICS was created jointly with Statistics Canada and Mexico’s INEGI to enable cross-country comparability; the current official vintage is 2022. ¹

NAICS 221114 Solar Electric Power Generation covers establishments primarily engaged in operating solar electric power generation facilities and supplying the electricity produced to transmission or distribution systems. This industry definition appears in the NAICS manual and has been in place since the 2012 revision that split renewable generation into separate six-digit industries. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 221114 overview
• G2X — NAICS 221115
• G2X — NAICS 237130

What this NAICS covers

• Operation of solar photovoltaic (PV) or concentrating solar power (CSP) plants that generate electric energy for the grid. ²
• Provision of generated electricity to bulk transmission systems or local distribution systems. ²
• Ownership and operation of merchant solar plants or utility-owned solar generation assets. ²
• Day-to-day management, monitoring, and dispatch of solar generation facilities. ²
• On-site operations and maintenance activities integral to running solar generation facilities. ²
• Establishments whose primary business activity is solar electric power generation (regardless of market participation structure such as PPAs). ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

The items below reflect closely related industries in the official NAICS hierarchy and commonly adjacent activities for solar generation. Titles follow official NAICS descriptors. ²

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	221115	Wind Electric Power Generation
NAICS	221121	Electric Bulk Power Transmission and Control
NAICS	237130	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction

SBA small business size standard

For federal small business programs, the SBA size standard for NAICS 221114 is 500 employees. This standard is listed in SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards effective March 17, 2023; SBA reviews and updates size standards periodically through rulemaking. ³

Industry hierarchy (NAICS 2022)

• Sector: Utilities — NAICS 22. ²
• Industry group: Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution — NAICS 2211. ²
• U.S. industry: Solar Electric Power Generation — NAICS 221114. ²

Frequently asked questions

• What activities distinguish NAICS 221114 from construction work on solar assets?
  NAICS 221114 covers operating solar electric generation facilities and supplying power to transmission or distribution systems. Construction of power lines, substations, or similar structures is classified under NAICS 237130, not under power generation. ²

• Does NAICS 221114 include distributed or rooftop solar generation?
  The industry is defined by operating solar electric power generation facilities and providing electricity to transmission or distribution systems, which can encompass utility-scale or distributed facilities when the establishment’s primary activity is generation. ²

• When was NAICS 221114 created and why?
  In NAICS 2012, the prior “Other Electric Power Generation” category was split into distinct industries for solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and a narrowed “other,” reflecting growth in renewable technologies and improving statistical detail. ⁴

• What is the SBA small business size standard for NAICS 221114?
  SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards lists NAICS 221114 at 500 employees (effective March 17, 2023). Contracting officers apply current SBA standards when setting aside work. ³

• Where are official economic statistics for NAICS 221114 published?
  The Economic Census publishes industry statistics using the 2022 NAICS basis; additional series include County Business Patterns and other Census programs. Data dissemination guidance and access points are maintained by the Census Bureau. ⁵

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 221114 overview
• Census: NAICS overview and search (official definition and 1997 adoption) ¹
• 2017 NAICS Manual (official industry definitions including 221114) ²
• SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards (current table) ³
• 2022 Economic Census data dissemination guidance ⁵

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS: Introduction and search: https://www.census.gov/naics
2. U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 NAICS Manual (official industry definitions): https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2017/econ/2017-naics-manual.html
3. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective Mar. 17, 2023): https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards
4. U.S. Census Bureau — New in 2012 (split of 221119 into 221114, 221115, 221116, 221117, 221118): https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2012/about/new.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau — How 2022 Economic Census Data Is Disseminated: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/year/2022/guidance/how-2022-ecdata-disseminated.html