Renewable sources have become a major player in the United States’ electrical generation, with their contribution surpassing 22.7% in 2023, as the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) illustrates.
Solar Energy Shines Brightly
Reporting through December 31, 2023, the EIA’s “Electric Power Monthly” reveals a notable surge in solar energy. This includes a notable increase of 16.1% for utility-scale and rooftop solar installations. December, in particular, witnessed a 30.7% growth in total solar generation, underlining its burgeoning presence in the energy mix.
Small-Scale Solar’s Impressive Growth
Small-scale solar installations outpaced all other energy sources with a 20.1% expansion over the past year. This segment alone constituted over 1.7% of the entire US electricity supply and represented 30.9% of the solar energy sector.
Renewable Energy Edges Out Traditional Sources
As we wrapped up 2023, solar’s contribution to total US electrical generation reached 5.6%, a figure that is neck and neck with hydropower. The expectation is that solar will eclipse hydropower soon, rising to become the second-largest source of renewable energy, just behind wind.
Combined, solar and wind are challenging the dominance of coal, which contributed 15.9% to the electrical generation mix. Remarkably, adding biomass and geothermal into the equation, these non-hydro renewables, now at 17.1%, have already surpassed coal’s figures, which saw a decline of 18.8% in comparison to 2022.
Renewables are also outperforming nuclear power, which saw only a marginal increase despite the addition of new capacity like the Vogtle-3 reactor in Georgia.
The Big Picture for US Energy
The growth in renewables has been tempered by a decrease in other renewable sources such as wind turbines, hydropower, and biomass-generated electricity. Despite these fluctuations, renewables further solidified their spot as the second top source of electrical generation, trailing behind natural gas at 42.4%.
An uplifting commentary from Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, encapsulates the situation, “Led by solar, renewable energy sources have expanded their foothold in the nation’s electrical generation. They now produce more electricity than nuclear power or coal and are set to extend their lead in the coming year.”
As renewable energy encompasses a larger share of the electricity generated in the US, it’s becoming evident that the future shines bright for solar energy and its renewable counterparts.
