Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2021 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Podcasts
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
  • Leadership
    • Vote for the 2022 Leaders!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners

Solar was nation’s fastest growing source of electricity in 2021

By Kelly Pickerel | February 28, 2022

Share

According to the latest review of data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), electrical generation by renewable energy sources accounted for 21.02% of total U.S. electrical generation in 2021.

The SUN DAY Campaign reviewed the latest issue of EIA’s “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through December 31, 2021) and also found that solar (including utility-scale and residential) increased by 25.23%, making it the nation’s fastest growing source of electricity in 2021. Wind grew 12.37% compared to 2020. Combined, solar and wind grew by 15.96% and accounted for 13.05% of U.S. electrical generation (wind: 9.12%, solar: 3.93%). Moreover, wind and solar combined now provide more than three-fifths (62.08%) of the generation by renewable sources.

In addition, geothermal posted a gain of 2.19% while electricity generated by wood + other biomass increased by 1.42%. Taken together, generation by all non-hydro renewables grew by 14.08%.

Reflecting severe drought conditions during the year, though, hydropower fell by 8.78%. That notwithstanding, all renewables combined — including hydropower — produced 6.17% more electricity than a year earlier. Renewable sources also expanded their lead over nuclear power, providing 12.5% more electricity than the nation’s nuclear power plants (18.69% of total U.S. generation). Natural gas remained as the top source of U.S. electrical generation with a 37.82% share but down from 40.12% a year ago. Coal rebounded into second place (with a 21.58% share), growing 16.20% compared to 2020.

Longer-term trends, though, still suggest the gradual and probably accelerating displacement of coal and nuclear power by renewable energy sources, especially solar and wind. EIA expects 21.8 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity to come online in 2022 along with 7.6 GW of new wind capacity and 4.4 GW of small-scale solar capacity. Hydropower also seems poised to rebound in 2022; it increased its output by 19.26% in December 2021 compared to December 2020. As a consequence, EIA now expects renewables’ share of U.S. electrical generation to top 22% this year and exceed that of coal while nuclear power’s share declines further.

“2021 was a good year for solar and wind notwithstanding headwinds such as the COVID pandemic and disruptions in global supply chains,” noted SUN DAY Campaign executive director Ken Bossong. “Together with other renewable energy sources, they built on their growing lead over nuclear power, will likely overtake coal in 2022, and continue to cut into natural gas’s current dominance.”

News item from SUN DAY

About The Author

Kelly Pickerel

Kelly Pickerel has over a decade of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Charlotte university greenhouse goes solar with Renu Energy Solutions
National Grid Renewables buys 2 GW of First Solar modules for future projects
Agilitas Energy completes 7.3-MW solar/9.5-MWh storage project in SMART program in Massachusetts
Nebraska’s largest PV project is a community solar system

SPW Digital Editions

Solar Power World Digital EditionBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Solar Power World in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading solar construction magazine today.

Contractor's Corner Podcast

May 25, 2022
Solar Spotlight: A panel manufacturer enters the storage market
See More >

Solar Policy Snapshot

Solar policy differs across state lines and regions. Click to see our monthly roundup of recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Read More >

Solar Power World
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Solar Articles
  • Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Battery Power Tips
  • Top Products
  • Leadership
  • About/Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • WTWH Media

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2021 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Podcasts
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
  • Leadership
    • Vote for the 2022 Leaders!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 Winners
    • 2018 Winners