Power from renewables passed coal in April, a first
David Wagman | June 26, 2019In April 2019, U.S. monthly electricity generation from renewable sources exceeded coal-fired generation for the first time.
The milestone was noted in the Energy Information Administration's (EIA's) Electric Power Monthly, which tracks sector trends.
According to EIA, renewable sources provided 23% of total electricity generation to coal’s 20% during April. This outcome reflects both seasonal factors as well as long-term increases in renewable generation and decreases in coal generation. EIA said that it includes utility-scale hydropower, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass in its definition of renewable electricity generation.
EIA said on an annual average basis it expects that coal will provide more electricity generation in the United States than renewables in both 2019 and 2020. However, the agency said it expects renewables to surpass nuclear in 2020.
Source: EIAOverall U.S. electricity consumption is often lowest in the spring and fall months because temperatures are more moderate and electricity demand for heating and air conditioning is relatively low. Consequently, electricity generation from fuels such as natural gas, coal and nuclear is often at its lowest point during these months as some generators undergo maintenance.
Since the beginning of 2015, about 47 GW of U.S. coal-fired capacity has retired, and virtually no new coal capacity has come online. Source: NREL
EIA said that record generation from wind and near-record generation from solar contributed to the overall rise in renewable electricity generation this spring. Electricity generation from wind and solar has increased as more generating capacity has been installed. In 2018, about 15 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar generating capacity came online.
Since the beginning of 2019, more than 4.5 GW of conventional steam coal-fired generation has been retired, according to the Energy Department. During 2018, nearly 13.5 GW of coal-fired generation was retired.
U.S. coal generation has declined from its peak a decade ago. Since the beginning of 2015, about 47 GW of U.S. coal-fired capacity has retired, and virtually no new coal capacity has come online. Based on reported plans for retirements, EIA said it expects another 4.1 GW of coal capacity will retire in 2019, making up more than half of all anticipated power plant retirements for the year.
Source: EIAEIA said that wind generation reached a record monthly high in April 2019 of 30.2 million megawatt-hours (MWh). Solar generation — including utility-scale solar photovoltaics and utility-scale solar thermal — reached a record monthly high in June 2018 of 7.8 million MWh. EIA said that level likely will be surpassed this summer.
Seasonal increases in hydroelectric generation also helped drive the overall increase in renewable generation. Conventional hydroelectric generation, which remains the largest source of renewable electricity in most months, totaled 25 million MWh in April. Hydroelectric generation tends to peak in the spring as melting snowpack results in increased water supply at downstream generators.