The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has Published its regular Update on U.S. Energy Infrastructure through the Month of April 2019.
In that Month something significant happened, for the First Time in History, the Amount of Energy Capacity held by Renewable Sources Exceeded that of Coal.
The Difference for April is the very definition of Tiny, if anything Measured in Gigawatts can be called Tiny.
At that time, Natural Gas was the Big Winner, accounting for 531.08 Gigawatts of Capacity, or 44.44% of the U.S. Total.
Next up on the overall List is Coal, with 257.48 Gigawatts or 21.55%. But that’s Not the Whole Story.
If you add up the Renewable Sources: Biomass, Geothermal, Hydro, Solar, and Wind, the Total comes to 21.56% of the U.S. Capacity. By the Smallest of Margins, Renewables edged out Coal.
That may seem like a Number so Small as to be a Statistical Fluke.
And it might be, except for what ongoing Changes to the Nation’s Electrical Grid are showing. Since January, 1,545 MW of New Wind Power has come On-Line. So has 1,473 MW of New Electricity from Solar. Over that period, Coal has added Nothing. And even that’s Not the Case, because Coal has added Less than Nothing, as Coal Plants continue to be Retired.
In Projections for just the Next Three years, FERC Expects Wind Power to Increase by over 101,000 MW, more than the Total Capacity now on hand.
Solar is targeted to Increase by 84,000 MW, which is over Twice what’s already out there.
And in those same Three years, Coal’s Production Capacity is expected to Shrink by another 12,400 MW as Aging, Uneconomic Plants continue to be Closed. Demand for Coal is down by 40% in a Single Decade and Dropping.
By 2022, Solar and Wind will be Producing over 30% more Power than Coal. And that’s without adding in Hydro or any other Renewable Source.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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