Renewables Contributed 49.1% of New U.S. Generating Capacity in 2012

---

Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Wind, solar power, geothermal energy, hydro and biomass were the renewable energy sources that together accounted for 49.1% and 12,956 megawatts (MW) of all U.S. electrical generating capacity installed in 2012. This is reported in the latest Energy Infrastructure Update by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

December alone saw more than 25% of the new capacity begin operations with 3,276 MW. Wind power developers pushed in the last month of the year to commission their projects before the production tax credit deadline.

Over the course of 2012, wind energy led the way with 164 new units totaling 10,689 MW in new capacity. Solar power followed with 240 units totaling 1,476 MW, and biomass had 100 new units totaling 543 MW. Geothermal and hydro each had 13 new units with installed capacities of 149 MW and 99 MW, respectively.

Other sources of new, installed power were natural gas with 8,746 MW (33.15%), coal with 4,510 MW (17.09%), nuclear with 125 MW (0.47%), and oil with 49 MW (0.19%).

Year-over-year capacity additions in 2012 from renewables increased by 51.16% compared to 2011, when 8,751 MW were added and accounted for 39.33% of all new in-service generation capacity.

The update reports that renewable energy sources now account for 15.4% of total installed U.S. generating capacity in operation, with wind-sourced energy representing 4.97%.

"If there were still any lingering doubts about the ability of renewable energy technologies to come online quickly and in amounts sufficient to displace fossil fuels and nuclear power, the 2012 numbers have put those doubts to rest," said Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable energy technologies. "Not only has renewable energy become a major player in the U.S. electrical generation market, but it has also emerged in 2012 as the reigning champion."

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.