Where We Stand With Regard To Renewable Energy -- August 26, 2023

Locator: 45477RENEWABLES.  

For the archives. Perhaps the best update so far this year.

Link here.

Data points:

• US power generation from gas-fired plants jumped by 10%, first eight months of 2023, compared to same period, 2022, one year earlier, still coming out of the pandemic
• this jump occurred despite overall electricity generation declined by 2.1% so far in 2023
• meanwhile, natural gas in electricity generation in the US has averaged:
• 40.4% this year to date; compared to
• 36% for same period last year.
• electricity generation:
• from coal: continued to drop
• "clean power" flat due to lower wind speeds and lower hydropower generation offset a surg ein solar power output
• By category:
• nuclear and hydropower: 40.5% of America's total power generation, 2023 to date;
• compared to 39.9% in the same period last year (2022)
• despite a surge in renewables installations, power output from wind and hydro was lower than usual -- lower wind speeds and drought in Pacific Northwest
• a lot more statistics at the linked article, but bottom line:
• renewable installation exceeding nuclear production
• but renewable power has been basically flat
• one can do the math
• making up the shortfall? Natural gas.

This, all against the backdrop, of increasing EV penetration. 

Solar and wind won't be able to keep up. Period. Dot.

Worse, much of the wind generation is not where the US population is centered: east of the Mississippi. 

Cumulatively, operating clean power capacity in the U.S. is now more than 237 GW, accounting for 15.1% of electricity generated. Texas leads with 26.353 GW, or 18% of total operating U.S. clean power, followed by California with an 11% share and New York with 6% of operating clean power. 

Bottom line:

• renewable installation exceeding nuclear production
• but renewable power has been basically flat
• one can do the math
• making up the shortfall? Natural gas.