The quantity of electrical energy generated within the US by renewable power in 2021 surpassed the Vitality Info Administration’s forecast, pushed by progress in photo voltaic and wind, in keeping with latest information.
All through 2021, the EIA commonly predicted renewables would provide a 20% share of the US’s electrical energy wants for the yr. The SUN DAY marketing campaign, a renewable power advocacy nonprofit, analyzed EIA information and located that renewables barely exceeded that expectation, accounting for 21.02% of complete U.S. electrical technology in 2021.
Photo voltaic powered electrical energy, together with distributed rooftop programs, elevated by greater than 25% in 2021, making it the nation’s quickest rising supply of electrical energy final yr. Wind additionally grew by double digits, growing by greater than 12% relative to 2020. Mixed, the 2 sources accounted for 13.05% {of electrical} technology, with photo voltaic and wind supplying about 4% and 9%, respectively.
Along with wind and photo voltaic, power sources that fall below the “renewables” class embody biomass, geothermal and hydropower. Electrical energy from geothermal sources rose by 2.19% whereas electrical energy from wooden and different biomass elevated by 1.42%. Collectively, technology by all non-hydro renewables grew by 14.08%.
On account of extreme drought situations in the course of the yr, hydropower, which has traditionally been the US’s largest renewable electrical energy supply, equipped practically 9% much less electrical energy in 2021 in comparison with 2020. Nonetheless, hydro appears poised to rebound in 2022, having elevated its output by 19.26% in December 2021 in comparison with December 2020.
Renewable sources additionally continued to provide extra electrical energy than nuclear energy, which accounted for 18.7% of electrical energy technology. Pure fuel remained the highest supply of US electrical technology at roughly 38% of the full — down from 40% a yr in the past. Coal regained floor, coming in second place with a 21.5% share — a 16% improve in comparison with 2020.
The EIA expects renewables to expertise constant progress as a share of the full electrical energy provide within the coming years, rising to 22% in 2022 and 24% in 2023.
“2021 was an excellent yr for photo voltaic and wind however headwinds such because the Covid pandemic and disruptions in world provide chains,” famous the SUN DAY Marketing campaign’s government director Ken Bossong. “Along with different renewable power sources, they constructed on their rising lead over nuclear energy, will doubtless overtake coal in 2022, and proceed to chop into pure fuel’s present dominance.”
Final month, the SUN DAY Marketing campaign reported that renewables are actually including greater than 2,250 megawatts of recent producing capability every month.