https://thinkprogress.org/wind-solar-deliver-stunning-98-percent-of-new-u-s-power-capacity-in-january-february-abc373e272d6/
[links and infographic in on-line article]
Wind, solar deliver stunning 98 percent of new U.S. power capacity in
January, February
Renewables to provide 69 percent of new capacity by March 2021, as
dozens of coal plants are retired
Joe Romm
Apr 24, 2018, 1:04 pm
Solar and wind power was responsible for a remarkable 98 percent of all
new U.S. power generation capacity that came online in the first two
months of 2018.
According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) latest
“Energy Infrastructure Update,” the overwhelming majority of new power
plants set up in January and February were renewable energy projects.
As FERC reports, during these two months, 1,568 Megawatts of wind and
565 MW of solar power capacity were put into service — along with just
40 MW of natural gas.
While President Trump and Energy Secretary Rick Perry have been
promoting policies that favor fossil fuel generation over renewables,
FERC reports that most of the big new renewable energy projects came
online in states that voted for Trump.
These projects include the 170 MW Beaver Creek Wind Project in Iowa, the
168 MW Prairie Wind Project, also in Iowa, and the 81 MW Stuttgart Solar
Project in Arkansas.
The stunning and ongoing price drops in solar and wind have shifted the
economics of new generation away from fossil fuels.
Indeed, FERC also projects that renewables will keep dominating the
market for new power generation over the next three years, while coal
power plants will keep being shuttered for the foreseeable future.
Of the nearly 212,000 MW of new net generating capacity — additions
minus retirements — proposed by March 2021, renewables comprise almost
147,000 MW, or 69 percent of the total.
Meanwhile, FERC reports that over the next three years, 70 coal power
units will be shut down while only 5 new ones are expected to be added.
Net coal generation will drop by more than 15,000 MW.
The coal and nuclear industries have been wooing both Trump and Perry to
get an emergency intervention, which is to say, a massive bailout.
But whatever the Administration does in the short term, the global shift
toward cheaper, cleaner energy is unstoppable.
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https://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2018/feb-energy-infrastructure.pdf
WIND AND SOLAR PROVIDE 98%
OF ALL NEW ELECTRICAL GENERATING CAPACITY
IN JANUARY + FEBRUARY
RENEWABLES NOW PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE-FIFTH
OF NATION'S INSTALLED GENERATING CAPACITY
RENEWABLES ACCOUNT FOR ALMOST 70% OF PROPOSED
NET GENERATION ADDITIONS OVER NEXT THREE YEARS
Washington DC – Wind and solar accounted for more than 98% of all new
U.S. electrical generation placed into service in the first two months
of this year, according to a SUN DAY Campaign analysis of data just
released by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions (FERC).
FERC's latest "Energy Infrastructure Update" (with summary statistics
for January and February 2018) also reveals that the total installed
capacity of renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal,
hydropower, solar, wind) now provides over one-fifth (i.e., 20.39%) of
total available U.S. generating capacity. Combined, wind and solar alone
exceed one-tenth (i.e., 10.18%) of installed capacity - a share greater
than either nuclear power (9.11%), hydropower (8.49%), or oil (3.64%). **
FERC data show that 14 new "units" of wind, totaling 1,568 megawatts
(MW), came into service in January and February 2018 along with 40 units
of solar (565-MW) for a total of 2,133-MW. Two units of natural gas
provided another 40-MW of new capacity. No capacity additions were
reported for any other energy sources (i.e., coal, oil, nuclear,
hydropower, biomass, geothermal).
FERC's report further suggests that the rapid expansion and growing
dominance of renewable energy sources will continue at least through
March 2021. Proposed new net generating capacity (i.e., additions minus
retirements) by renewables over the next three years totals 146,717-MW
or 69.2% of the total (i.e., 211,875-MW). Proposed new net generating
capacity by wind (84,324-MW) and solar (48,814-MW) alone are 62.8% of
the total - supplemented by hydropower (11,839-MW), geothermal
(1,130-MW), and biomass (610-MW).
Most of the remaining net proposed new generating capacity to be added
between now and March 2021is accounted for by natural gas (77,421-MW -
36.5%). Net proposed additions by nuclear total only 1,831-MW while
those from oil are just 231-MW. FERC also lists proposed new net
generating capacity from waste heat (176-MW) and "other" sources such as
fuel cells and energy storage (680-MW). Notably, the net generating
capacity of coal would actually decline by 15,181-MW as 17,008-MW of
coal capacity is retired, eclipsing just 1,827-MW of additions.
# # # # # # # # #
FERC's latest 5-page "Energy Infrastructure Update" report was released
on April 23, 2018. For the data cited in this news update, see:
https://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2018/feb-energy-infrastructure.pdf
** Note: Capacity is not the same as actual generation. While renewable
energy capacity as of February 2018 reached 20.39% of the nation's
total, electrical generation was a bit lower. According to data provided
by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electrical generation by
renewable sources totaled 17.6% in 2017.
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The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational
organization founded in 1992 to aggressively promote sustainable energy
technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil
fuels.
