Renewables top 14 per cent of US electrical generation

• 11 years ago (2013-08-31)
• David Flin

North America 1021 Nuclear 659 Renewables 776

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According to the latest issue of the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Electric Power Monthly, renewable energy sources provided 14.2 per cent of the country’s net electric power generation during the first half of 2013. For the same period in 2012, renewables accounted for 13.57 per cent of net electrical power generation.

Non-hydro renewables have more than tripled their output over the past decade. They now account for almost the same share of electrical generation (6.71 per cent) as conventional hydropower (7.49 per cent). In 2003, non-hydro renewables provided only 2.05 per cent of net US electrical generation.

Solar thermal and photovoltaic have grown 94.4 per cent, while wind increased by 20.1 per cent and geothermal grew by 1.0 per cent. Biomass fell by 0.5 per cent, while hydropower dropped by 2.6 per cent. Among non-hydro renewables, wind accounts for 4.67 per cent of net electrical generation, biomass for 1.42 per cent, geothermal for 0.43 per cent, and solar for 0.19 per cent.

The balance of the country’s electrical generation mix for the first half of 2013 consisted of:
Coal - 39.00 per cent, up by 10.3 per cent.
Natural gas and other gas – 26.46 per cent, down by 13.6 per cent.
Nuclear – 19.48 per cent, up by 0.2 per cent.
Petroleum liquids and coke – 0.66 per cent, up by 15.6 per cent.
Pumped hydro storage and other sources – 0.21 per cent.