Solar capacity additions surged in 2024, moving renewables’ installed generating capacity ahead of coal, as per the latest data from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
FERC’s “Energy Infrastructure Update” for January 2024, reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveals that solar contributed 2,527 megawatts (MW) of new installed generating capacity in the first month of the year, accounting for 87.3% of the total. This marks the second-highest monthly total ever reported for solar.
In addition to the new solar capacity, there were also additions of 320 MW of new wind capacity, 44 MW of natural gas, 2 MW of oil, and 3 MW of other energy sources.
With the new solar and wind capacity, the total installed generating capacity of renewable energy sources in the US now stands at 376.33 gigawatts (GW), representing 29.17% of all US generating capacity and surpassing coal’s installed capacity of 207.15 GW.
Utility-scale solar capacity alone (104.61 GW) now exceeds nuclear power (103.27 GW) and hydropower (101.41 GW). The significant capacity of small-scale distributed solar, like rooftop installations, adds to this milestone.
FERC predicts that utility-scale solar capacity will surpass that of wind in the next two to three years, with substantial new solar additions expected between February 2024 and January 2027.
By early 2027, solar is projected to account for 13.83% of total installed generating capacity, while wind will be at 12.79%. Together, all renewables are expected to provide 35.45% of the total, surpassing coal, nuclear power, and oil combined.
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