Natural gas dominates new capacity; renewables close behind
July 23, 2013 | By
Barbara Vergetis Lundin
In the first half of 2013, renewable energy sources, including biomass, geothermal, solar, water, and wind, accounted for 24.93 percent of all new domestic electrical generating capacity -- a total of 2,144 MW -- according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) Office of Energy Projects.
Renewable energy sources continue their rapid growth in the nation's electrical generation mix, outpacing traditional sources such as coal, oil, and nuclear power. Only natural gas dominated in the first six months of 2013, with 4,852 MW, or 56.41 percent, of new capacity. Among renewable energy, solar led the first half of 2013 with 94 units totaling 979 MW. Wind followed solar 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 at 14 MW. For the month of June 2013 alone, six new solar projects in North Carolina and one in New Mexico came online 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 percent (from 10,259 MW to 8,601 MW). However, solar capacity grew by 3.70 percent while natural gas capacity increased by 12.47 percent. Water power saw a more than tenfold increase from 7 MW in the first six months of 2012 to 76 MW the first six months of 2013. Renewable sources now account for nearly 16 percent of total installed operating generation capacity in the United States -- more than nuclear and oil combined. Actual net electrical generation from renewable energy sources now totals about 14 percent. For more:
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