New Energy Undeniable, Unstoppable

US wind generation reached 5.5% of the grid in 2016; 5 Heartland states now more than 20% wind-powered..March 6, 2017 (American Wind Energy Association)

and

Solar Adds 14.8 Gigawatts of Capacity in Record 2016, On Track to Triple in Size by 2022...March 9, 2017 (Solar Energy Industries Association)

“Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma and North Dakota all sourced more than 20% of their electricity generation from wind power during 2016…[and] wind supplied over 5.5 percent of electricity nationwide, up from 4.7% in 2015…With 99% of wind turbines located in rural areas, wind power’s steady growth as a share of the nation’s electricity supply has been accompanied by a surge of investment in rural America. [The industry’s fleet of over 52,000 turbines] invested over $13.8 billion in new turbines last year…

click to enlarge

In a record-breaking year for solar, the U.S. market installed 14,762 MWdc of solar PV in 2016 – nearly doubling the capacity installed in 2015. Growth was primarily driven by the utility PV segment, which installed more in 2016 than the entire market in 2015…For the first time ever, solar ranked as the No. 1 source of new electric generating capacity additions brought on-line on an annual basis at 39%...On average, a new megawatt of solar PV capacity came on-line every 36 minutes in 2016…[and] a record 22 states each added more than 100 MW of solar PV…” click here and here for more.

click to enlarge

Tweet