Power plant capacity additions in 2014 mostly natural gas, solar, wind

In the first half of 2014, 4,350 MW of new utility-scale generating capacity were brought online, with more than half of that from natural gas-fired power plants, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

While natural gas plants made up more than half of all additions, solar plants contributed more than a quarter and wind energy plants around one-sixth. Utility-scale capacity additions in the first six months of 2014 were 40 percent less than the capacity additions in the same time period last year, EIA said. Compared to last year, natural gas additions were down by about half, while solar capacity was up 70 percent. Wind additions were more than double the additions in the first half of 2013.

Florida added the most capacity with 1,210 MW, all of it from natural gas. California added just under 1,100 MW, of which 77 percent was solar, 21 percent was wind and the remainder came from natural gas and other sources. Utah and Texas combined for another 1,000 MW, nearly all of it from natural gas with some solar and wind additions in Texas.

For a list of the projects added in the first half of 2014, click here

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