Wind and solar are now beating coal in the US

Wind and solar combined now provide more generating capacity and produce more electricity than coal in the US, according to new data from the EIA and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which was reviewed by the nonprofit SUN DAY Campaign.

What the EIA reported

In the first two months of 2023, electrical generation by solar (including small-scale solar PV such as rooftop) grew by 6.7%, compared to the same two-month period in 2022 – faster than any other energy source, according to the latest issue of the US Energy Information Administration’s “Electric Power Monthly” report, which contains data through February 28. This was driven in large part by growth in “estimated” small-scale solar PV whose output increased by 23.6% and accounted for 32.5% of total solar production. 

The mix of utility-scale and small-scale solar PV plus utility-scale solar thermal provided 3.9% of the US’s electrical output.  

At the same time, electrical generation by wind increased by 6.6% compared to the same period a year ago and provided 12.2% of total electrical generation.

Together, wind and solar provided 16.1% of US electrical generation in the first two months of 2023; by comparison, electrical generation by coal dropped by 32.7% and provided 16.0% of total US electrical generation. 

When generation by all renewable energy sources (i.e., including biomass, geothermal, and hydropower) is considered, renewables accounted for nearly a quarter (24.1%) of total generation and outproduced coal by 50.8%. Electrical production by the mix of renewables also surpassed that of nuclear power by 21.9%. 

What FERC reported

Meanwhile, here’s what new data from FERC reflects, and it’s also for January and February 2023. FERc reports that wind energy’s share of total available installed utility-scale generating capacity has grown to 11.5%, while that of solar is now at 6.6%. Combined, wind and solar account for 18.1% of installed US generating capacity. On the other hand, coal’s share has continued its downward slide and is now just 17.1% of the total. 

Moreover, the mix of all renewables now accounts for 27.6% of the US’s generating capacity and appears to be on track for rapid expansion over the next three years.  

Between now and February 2026, FERC anticipates 17,690 megawatts (MW) of “high probability” net capacity additions by wind and 77,791 MW of “high probability” solar. FERC also reports that there may actually be as much as 66,322 MW of wind and 213,969 MW of solar in the three-year pipeline. 

In contrast, it anticipates no new coal capacity additions, and total installed coal capacity may actually shrink by 28,507 MW. The net “high probability” capacities of both oil and natural gas are also seen as declining – by 1,572 MW and 574 MW, respectively – while that of nuclear power may fall by 123 MW. 

SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director Ken Bossong said:

The trend lines are fairly obvious.

The gaps between the installed capacity of, and electrical generation by, renewable energy sources – led by wind and solar – and those of coal and nuclear power are not just growing, but accelerating rapidly.

Read more: Wind and solar achieve a record high of 12% of global electricity in 2022

Photo: Orsted

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