2020 has been a benchmark year for renewable generation, with the latest edition of the U.S. Energy Information Administration\u2019s (EIA) Electric Power Monthly <\/em>report showing that renewable resources have generated more electricity through May 31st than both coal and nuclear power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This breakout year for renewables has been highlighted by the month of May, where renewable resources reached an all-time high share of the country\u2019s electricity generation at 25.3%. This figure, as with much of the renewable generation so far this year, was driven by hydroelectric, which accounted for nearly 17% of all electricity generated in the month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, while hydro has had a consistent hold on the top renewable generation source, that hold is loosening by the month. The amount of solar energy generated from January-May, when compared to the same period in 2019 and including distributed solar, is up roughly 21%, with solar now accounting for 3.3% of the nation\u2019s total power generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renewables on the rise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As fast as solar has expanded, wind is keeping equal pace, with the two resources expanding faster than all other energy sources. Combined, solar and wind provided 12.6% of total U.S. electrical generation during the first five months of the year. This mark is about 14% higher than where the two resources stood through the first five months of 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while it wouldn\u2019t be accurate to say that any resource benefited from the Covid-19 pandemic, some have handled the pandemic and corresponding economic slowdown better than others, with a few using it as an opportunity to make up ground in the total generation share. Coal generation for the month of May was down more than 35%, compared to May 2019, accounting for roughly 21% of total generation. Nuclear power also felt the heat, dropping 4% year-over-year and also accounting for roughly 21% of total generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big winner for the month of May was solar energy, which saw a more than 30% year-over-year increase in generation, the most of any resource. Geothermal and wind generation also saw year-over-year increases in generation, up 5.5% and 8.5%, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From: https:\/\/pv-magazine-usa.com\/2020\/07\/27\/renewables-have-outpaced-nuclear-and-coal-to-start-2020\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the latest edition of Electric Power Monthly, EIA data shows that renewable resources have generated more electricity through May 31st than both coal and nuclear power. 2020 has been a benchmark year for renewable generation, with the latest edition of the U.S. Energy Information Administration\u2019s (EIA) Electric Power Monthly report showing that renewable resources have generated more electricity…
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