New Energy Leads Power Sector Growth

Covid-19 Notwithstanding, New EIA Reports Show Continued Growth By U.S. Renewable Sources In Both Energy Production & Electricity Generation; Solar + Wind Increase 15.5% And Retain Status As Fastest Growing Sources Of U.S. Electricity as All Renewable Sources Combined Maintain Their Lead Over Coal And Nuclear Power

Ken Bossong, September 28, 2020 (Sun Day)

“Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic, renewable energy sources (i.e., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) continue to expand their share of the nation's energy production and consumption as well as electricity generation…For the period January - July, solar-generated electricity – including distributed solar - expanded by 22.2% (compared to the same period in 2019) and provided nearly 3.4% of the nation’s total. Wind grew by 13.0% and accounted for almost 8.5% of total generation. Combined, net electrical generation by wind and solar is 15.5% greater than a year ago. Together with hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, renewables provided 21.2% of total electrical output - up from 19.2% a year earlier.

Moreover, renewables produced almost a fifth (i.e., 19.6%) more electricity than coal through July 2020. In fact, electrical generation by coal was 27.5% lower than a year earlier and accounted for just 17.8% of the nation’s total. In addition, renewable energy sources produced 6.7% more electricity than did nuclear power whose output fell 1.7% during the same seven-month period…[D]omestic energy production by renewable sources (including biofuels) reached an all-time, mid-year high…Notwithstanding declines in hydropower (down 2.0%), geothermal (down 2.9%), biomass (down 5.6%), and biofuels (down 14.5%), overall renewable energy production rose due to continuing strong growth by solar (up 20.7%) and wind (up 14.4%)…Overall, renewable energy's share of the nation's energy production during the first half of 2020 was 12.4% - i.e., almost one-eighth...” click here for more

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