NEW ENERGY TOPPED 2014’S NEW POWER

Renewables Provide Half of New U.S. Generating Capacity In 2014; Beat Out Natural Gas – More Than A Quarter Of New Capacity From Wind; Solar Provides Over 20%

January 29, 2015 (Sun Day Campaign)

Ending a year-long race that had been nip-and tuck every month, renewable energy sources cumulatively provided more new electric generating capacity in 2014 than did natural gas…According to the latest Energy Infrastructure Update report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind) provided nearly half (49.81% - 7,663 MW) of new electrical generation brought into service during 2014 while natural gas accounted for 48.65% (7,485 MW)…[I]n 2013, natural gas accounted for 46.44% (7,378 MW) of new electrical generating capacity while renewables accounted for 43.03% (6,837 MW). New renewable energy capacity in 2014 is 12.08% more than that added in 2013…New wind energy facilities accounted for over a quarter (26.52%) of added capacity (4,080 MW) in 2014 while solar power provided 20.40% (3,139 MW). Other renewables - biomass (254 MW), hydropower (158 MW), and geothermal (32 MW) - accounted for an additional 2.89%...[J]ust a single coal facility (106 MW) came on-line; nuclear power expanded by a mere 71MW due to a plant upgrade; and only 15 small ‘units’ of oil, totaling 47 MW, were added…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet