Renewable Energy Provides Half of All New US Electrical Generating Capacity in 2012

Kenneth Bossong, SUN DAY Campaign
January 17, 2013 | 11 Comments

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 49.10% of all new domestic electrical generating capacity installed in the twelve months of 2012 for a total of 12,956 MW. More than a quarter of that new capacity (25.29% - 3,276 MW) came online in the month of December 2012 alone.

Wind led the way in 2012 with 164 new "units" totaling 10,689 MW followed by solar with 240units totaling 1,476 MW. Biomass added 100 new units totaling 543 MW while geothermal steam and water each had 13 new units with installed capacities of 149 MW and 99 MW respectively.

By comparison, for the full 12 months of 2012, new natural gas generation in service totaled 8,746 MW (33.15%) followed by coal (4,510 MW - 17.09%), nuclear (125 MW - 0.47%), and oil (49 MW - 0.19%).

New capacity from renewable energy sources in 2012 increased by 51.16% compared to 2011 when those sources added 8,571 MW. In 2011, renewables accounted for 39.33% of all new in-service generation capacity.

Renewable sources now account for 15.40% of total installed U.S. operating generating capacity: water 8.47%, wind 4.97%, biomass 1.30%, solar 0.34%, and geothermal 0.32%. This is more than nuclear (9.24%) and oil (3.57%) combined. Note that generating capacity is not the same as actual generation -- actual net electrical generation from renewable energy sources in the U.S. now totals about 13% according to data provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

"If there were still any lingering doubts about the ability of renewable energy technologies to come on-line quickly and in amounts sufficient to displace fossil fuels and nuclear power, the 2012 numbers have put those doubts to rest," said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. "Not only has renewable energy become a major player in the U.S. electrical generation market, but it has also emerged in 2012 as THE reigning champion."

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released its most recent "Energy Infrastructure Update" on January 16, 2013 with data through December 31, 2012; it can be found here.

The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels.

Lead image: Windmills and American Buffalo, via Flickr

11 Comments

lee nhan
January 23, 2013

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Craig Dolston
January 23, 2013

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ANONYMOUS
January 19, 2013

EdSears writes: "Also baseload is an outdated concept. The new way of thinking is the merit order. Use electricity sources with zero fuel cost preferentially and back up with the next cheapest."

Baseload power remains a valuable concept as many energy sources--nuclear, coal, geothermal, some hydro sources, etc.--produce energy at a constant level. Cycling some of these sources on and off to take advantage of intermittent resources incurs additional expense, and may not even be feasible (as for nuclear reactors). Utility providers have a responsibility to maintain stability by meeting all demand, so they should be able to contract for energy sources that allow them to best do that--even if it means that intermittent power must be curtailed so that providers of baseload sources are allowed to operate efficiently.
Steven

Ed Sears
January 19, 2013

Mr Spencley - renewables (plus many other products) decrease in price when manufactured at scale. Subsidies start the ball rolling by encouraging early adopters. The price drop in PV has been enormous (75% in two years) since production was ramped up. The subsidies will rapidly become irrelevant. Wind turbines also continue to increase in power and reliability and decrease in price.

Also baseload is an outdated concept. The new way of thinking is the merit order. Use electricity sources with zero fuel cost preferentially and back up with the next cheapest. This translates as always use renewables (wind + sun) when they are available, and back up with flexible gas power stations. This approach gives the lowest fuel costs and the lowest emissions of local air pollution and carbon dioxide.

tom clark
January 18, 2013

Mr Spencley - of course you are absolutely right - but one thing, can you give us an example of a viable renewable. (apart from hydraulic)

MICHAEL SPENCLEY
January 18, 2013

The path to energy independence cannot be paved with subsidies. Viable renewables that add to base load should be ramped up as quickly as possible and renewables that require subsidies should be terminated. "Subsidies are the carpet that we sweep non-competitiveness under". We need to build a robust economy that can compete on the world market. Subsidies erode research and development investment that would result in new technology to produce competitively priced power.

tom clark
January 18, 2013

Re. comment number 4
That is a gross understatement.

Re .comment number 3
It will be part of our path to bankruptcy not energy independence.

chris eddy
January 18, 2013

There's a vast difference between adding MWs of capacity and displacing fossil fuels.

Earl Johnson
January 18, 2013

Renewable energy is definitely increasing. But we also need to look at it objectively. It is also partially due to government blocking other traditional forms of power generation and partially due to funding and fast-tracking renewable forms of power generation. Our new power ain't cheap and it drives up the cost of everything that uses it. However, in the end, it will be part of our path to energy independence.

Anumakonda Jagadeesh
January 18, 2013

Yes. Renewables play major role in supplementing energy needs in USA. Especially Wind more so Offshore wind in the future is a major Renewable Source to rely.

Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India
Wind Energy Expert
E-mail: anumakonda.jagadeesh@gmail.com

ANONYMOUS
January 17, 2013

The author writes: ""If there were still any lingering doubts about the ability of renewable energy technologies to come on-line quickly and in amounts sufficient to displace fossil fuels and nuclear power, the 2012 numbers have put those doubts to rest," said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign."

This is the author quoting himself. This definitely conveys the notion that he is quite impressed with himself, but it is an ineffectual strategy for convincing readers of the validity of any particular argument. It also suggests the piece didn't get editorial review as a decent editor would have flagged that for revision.
Steven

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Kenneth Bossong

Ken Bossong is the Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear...