Wind and Solar Produced More Energy Than Coal in the U.S. From January Through July This Year, a First.

[Think. Again.]

By Paige Bennett, August 16, 2024
Original Article; https://www.ecowatch.com/wind-solar-energy-production-coal-us-2024.html

From January through July of this year, wind and solar in the U.S. generated more net electricity than power from coal, according to recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

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In 2023, renewables outpaced coal energy generation for the first five months of the year. But by summer, energy demand increased, especially considering last summer was the Northern Hemisphere’s hottest summer in 2,000 years.

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“I think it is an important milestone,” said Ric O’Connell, executive director of GridLab, as reported by Scientific American. “I think you’re seeing a solar surge and a coal decline and hence the lines are crossing.”

Renewable energy, particularly from wind and solar sources, has been rapidly increasing. For 2024, the U.S. is slated to add a total of 36.4 gigawatts of solar utility-scale electric generating capacity, up from the 18.4 gigawatts added the previous year.

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