Solar energy emerged as a dominant force in the U.S. energy landscape in 2023, accounting for nearly half of all new generating capacity added during the year, according to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The report, which includes data up to December 31, 2023, revealed that solar installations contributed 18 gigawatts (GW) of new domestic generating capacity, representing 49.3% of the total additions for the year. This surpasses all other energy sources, including natural gas and wind.
“Solar provided half of the new generating capacity added in 2023, with almost 5GW coming online in December alone,” stated a spokesperson from the Sun Day Campaign, which reviewed the FERC data.
The surge in solar capacity additions marks a significant increase from the previous year, with a growth rate of 50.0%. In December, solar capacity additions set a new monthly record, constituting 57.1% of the new capacity brought online, more than double the previous monthly record set just the prior month.
In addition to solar, wind, natural gas, and hydropower contributed to new capacity in December. However, renewables collectively dominated, accounting for 79.2% of the month's additions.
Over the twelve months of 2023, renewables as a whole contributed more than two-thirds (67.2%) of all new generating capacity, with natural gas and nuclear power trailing behind.
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Notably, there were no reported additions to coal capacity, signaling a continued shift towards cleaner energy sources.
“If the growth trends of 2023 continue, installed utility-scale solar capacity should exceed that of nuclear power within the next few months,” the spokesperson added. “Solar capacity is also expected to surpass individual capacities of both wind and coal within the next three years.”
It's important to note that FERC's data only accounts for utility-scale facilities, omitting the capacity of distributed renewables such as rooftop solar photovoltaic systems.
