• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Corporate News
  • Generation
  • Oil & Gas
  • Regulation
  • Renewable
    • Climate
    • Solar
    • Wind
  • Storage
  • Tech
  • T & D
Energy News Desk Logo

Energy News Desk

Energy News and Data

2020 Solar, Wind Generation Sets Utility-Scale Records

January 28, 2021 by Solar Industry Mag

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, electrical generation by the nation’s utility-scale wind and solar plants continues to set new records – it was 35.1% greater in November 2020 than it was in the same month a year earlier, according to a SUN DAY Campaign analysis of new data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).  

The latest issue of EIA’s “Electric Power Monthly” (with data through Nov. 30, 2020) also reveals that year-to-date, solar-generated electricity – including distributed solar – expanded by 22.5% (compared to the same period in 2019) and provided almost 3.4% of the nation’s total. Wind grew by 13.8% and accounted for 8.2% of total generation. Combined, electrical generation by wind and solar grew by 16.2% in 2020. No other energy sources experienced similarly high growth rates. 

“With a supportive Biden administration directing national energy policy, renewably-generated electricity seems poised for rapid growth,” says Ken Bossong, executive director of SUN DAY Campaign. “While EIA foresees renewables providing 23% of U.S. electricity in 2022, the actual percentage could very well be significantly higher – perhaps 25% or more.”  

The electrical output by all renewables increased by 8.8% and provided 20.7% of the country’s total electrical output – up from 18.4% a year earlier. Renewables’ share of U.S. electrical generation has eclipsed that of nuclear power (19.4%) and coal (18.8%). Renewables produced 10.1% more electricity than coal through November 2020. In fact, electrical generation by coal was 22.1% lower than a year earlier.

The increase in new electricity from wind and solar was greater than the increase in electrical generation by natural gas. During the first eleven months of 2020, solar and wind produced 59,859 GWh more than they did during the same period in 2019. By comparison, electrical generation by natural gas increased by only 35,874 GWh. While it continued to provide the largest share (40.2%) of the nation’s electrical output, natural gas grew by only 2.5% during the first eleven months of 2020 and actually dropped by 8.6% in the month of November.

Photo Source

Filed Under: Renewable, Solar

Primary Sidebar

Join The Daily Charge

This week's top 5 stories in your inbox. No spam ever.

Trending

  • Takkion Holdings Adds O&M Solutions Provider to Offerings
  • Vineyard Wind Appoints Oytan as Deputy CEO
  • Emerson Acquires Open Systems Int. Inc.
  • First Semi-Submersible Floating Wind Farm is Fully Operational
  • Solar Industry News Verizon Inks Power Contract With Lightsource bp for Indiana Solar
  • NV Energy Receives PUCN Approval for Solar+Storage Projects
  • Emerson Agrees to Purchase OSI Inc.
  • CPS Energy Issues RFP Seeking Solar, Energy Storage
  • eia.gov logo EIA expects higher wholesale U.S. natural gas prices in 2021 and 2022
  • The Detective Work Behind Wind Energy

Footer

Trending

  • Takkion Holdings Adds O&M Solutions Provider to Offerings
  • Vineyard Wind Appoints Oytan as Deputy CEO
  • Emerson Acquires Open Systems Int. Inc.
  • First Semi-Submersible Floating Wind Farm is Fully Operational
  • Verizon Inks Power Contract With Lightsource bp for Indiana Solar

Recent

  • Quick Tips To A Sustainable Future
  • Stem Provides Smart Energy Storage Solutions to Today’s Power
  • EIA's AEO2021 shows U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions rising after the mid-2030s
  • Homeowners associations still a barrier for some would-be solar customers
  • Commentary: With open standards, U.S. can build EV charging infrastructure faster

Search

Contact Us

Write For Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · EnergyNewsDesk.com