The latest issue of EIA's ‘Electric Power Monthly’ report (with data through December 31) reveals that renewable energy sources (including small-scale solar systems) increased their electrical output by 12.37 percent last year compared to 2021. By comparison, electrical generation by all energy sources combined grew by just 3.47 percent.
In 2022, renewables provided 22.58 percent of total US electrical generation versus 20.79 percent a year ago. Accordingly, they modestly surpassed EIA's earlier forecast of renewables providing 22 percent of US electricity in calendar year 2022.
Solar was again the fastest growing renewable energy source. Output by solar increased by 24.14 percent and its share of total US electrical generation for the year was 4.74 percent. A year earlier, solar's share was 3.95 percent. Five years ago, it was 1.91 percent and at the end of 2012, solar's share was only 0.11 percent.
Electrical generation by wind also expanded significantly - growing by 14.97 percent and providing over a tenth (10.11 percent) of total US electrical generation in 2022. Combined, solar and wind contributed nearly 15 percent (14.85 percent) of the nation's electrical output last year.
In addition, generation by hydropower grew 4.14 percent and accounted for 6.09 percent of the total. Electrical output by geothermal as well as wood & wood-derived fuels also increased by 6.43 percent and 0.29 percent respectively. Only generation by “other biomass” fell - by 5.06 percent.
Taken together, in 2022, renewable energy sources comfortably out-produced both coal and nuclear power by 17.18 percent and 25.90 percent respectively. However, natural gas continued to dominate with a 39.27 percent share of total generation.
Renewables' growing share of US electrical generation last year mirrored their expansion in other sectors such as transportation and heating.
For example, a second EIA report - its “Monthly Energy Review” released last week - reveals that the mix of renewable energy sources, including biofuels, accounted for 13.03 percent of total US energy production during the first 11 months of 2022. For the same period a year earlier, renewables' share was 12.50 percent.
On the consumption side, renewables were 13.20 percent of energy use during the first 11 months of 2022. Renewables were 12.43 percent of energy consumption during the same time period a year earlier. Actual consumption of renewables increased by 8.96 percent while total energy use for all sectors increased by just 2.59 percent.
“Last year set a new record for renewably-generated electricity in the US” said the SUN DAY Campaign's executive director Ken Bossong. “Renewables are now on track to reach one-quarter of electrical generation in 2023 as well as one-seventh of total domestic energy production and then accelerate in the years to follow.”
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