Dive Brief:
-
Renewable generation has accounted for almost 70% of new capacity brought online in the first six months of this year, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Energy Infrastructure Update for June.
-
Since the beginning of this year there have been 18 wind projects brought online, totaling almost 2,000 MW of generation, and another 549 MW of solar power that does not include customer-owned panels.
-
The natural gas industry has added 21 units so far in 2015, totaling 1,173 MW of capacity, significantly behind the 2,835 MW added during the same period last year.
Dive Insight:
With customer-owned solar not accounted for, its tough to say for certain just how much renewable generation was added so far this year. But one thing is clear: It's far and away the biggest source of new capacity, and coal's additions have dwindled to almost none.
According to FERC data, a single coal facility added 3 MW of capacity this year. By comparison, wind, solar, biomass, hydro and geothermal accounted for more than 2,700 MW of capacity.
New solar capacity actually registered a decline compared with the same period last year, when developers added more than 1,400 MW in the half of the year. New wind generation so far has more than doubled the 884 MW installed in the first half of 2014.
Among June highlights, FERC noted that Cannon Power and Sempra Generation’s 155 MW Energia Sierra Juarez Wind Project in Baja California is now online. The power from that facility is being sold to San Diego Gas and Electric Co. under a long-term contract.
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach’s 95 MW waste-to-energy project came online in Florida, with the power being sold to Florida Power & Light.
