Within the first six months of 2022, 24% of U.S. utility-scale electrical energy technology got here from renewable sources, primarily based on information from U.S. Vitality Data Administration’s (EIA) Electrical Energy Month-to-month. Renewables’ share elevated from 21% for a similar time interval final 12 months.
Renewables are the fastest-growing electrical energy technology supply in america, accoring to the EIA.
Renewable technology sources embrace standard hydropower, wind, photo voltaic, geothermal and biomass. In america, most renewable electrical energy technology comes from hydropower, photo voltaic and wind. Technology from renewable power sources has grown quickly as renewable capability, principally photo voltaic and wind, has been added to the grid.
In 2021, a report quantity of latest utility-scale photo voltaic capability was put in in america. From June 2021 to June 2022, 17.6 GW of latest utility-scale photo voltaic capability got here on-line, bringing U.S. utility-scale photo voltaic capability to 65.8 GW, in response to our Preliminary Month-to-month Electrical Generator Stock. In June 2022, america had 137.6 GW of wind capability, and 10% (14.3 GW) of that capability was put in between June 2021 and June 2022. Primarily based on deliberate additions reported to EIA by energy plant homeowners and builders, one other 7 GW of wind and 13 GW of photo voltaic capability will come on-line by the tip of the 12 months.
Hydropower and wind technology, which, mixed, make up nearly all of U.S. renewable technology, sometimes peak within the first half of the 12 months, when there are extra windy days and the winter snowpack is melting. Within the second half of 2022, EIA anticipate that renewables will make up a smaller share of technology than they did within the first half of the 12 months (20%) as wind and hydroelectric technology decline, primarily based on EIA’s newest Brief-Time period Vitality Outlook.
Picture: Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash