New Stats from FERC: Renewable Energy accounts for ~25% of new domestic electricity

According to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 24.93% of all new domestic electrical generating capacity installed in the first six months of 2013 for a total of 2,144 MW. That is more than that provided thus far this year by coal (1,579 MW – 18.36%), oil (26 MW – 0.30%), and none from nuclear power, combined. However, natural gas dominated the first half of 2013 with 4,852 MW of new capacity (56.41%).

Among renewable energy sources, solar led the way for the first half of 2013 with 94 new “units” totaling 979 MW followed by wind with 8 units totaling 959 MW. Biomass added 36 new units totaling 116 MW while water had 8 new units with an installed capacity of 76 MW and geothermal steam had one new unit, 14 MW.

For just the month of June 2013, six new solar projects in North Carolina and one in New Mexico came on-line with a total capacity of 15 MW while a single 4-MW hydropower project was also added. No new capacity was reported for the month for natural gas but coal and oil had additions of 618 MW and 26 MW respectively.

For the first half of 2013, compared to the first half of 2012, new capacity from all sources declined by 16.16% (from 10,259 MW to 8,601 MW). However, solar capacity grew by 3.70% while natural gas capacity increased by 12.47%. Water power saw a more than ten-fold increase from 7 MW in the first six months of 2012 to 76 MW thus far in 2013.

Renewable sources now account for nearly 16% of total installed U.S. operating generating capacity: water – 8.52%, wind – 5.17%, biomass – 1.31%, solar – 0.48%, and geothermal steam – 0.33%. This is more than nuclear (9.05%) and oil (3.51%) combined. (The FERC reminds readers that generating capacity is not the same as actual generation. Actual net electrical generation from renewable energy sources in the United States now totals about 14% according to the most recent data ( as of April 2013) provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.)

“Renewable energy sources continue their rapid growth in the nation’s electrical generation mix, outpacing traditional sources such as coal, oil, and nuclear power,” said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “Clearly, earlier public and private investments in R&D and commercialization are paying off.”

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its most recent 5-page “Energy Infrastructure Update.” See the tables titled “New Generation In-Service (New Build and Expansion)” and “Total Installed Operating Generating Capacity”

To access the report please follow the link:  www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/2013/jun-energy-infrastructure.pdf