Renewable energy sources exceed 30% of US electricity production for the first time

A review of data recently released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) as part of its SUN DAY campaign confirms that solar power continues its decade-long streak as the fastest-growing source of electricity in the country.

In its latest Electric Power Monthly report (with data through April 30, 2024), EIA reports that the combination of utility-scale and small-scale (e.g. rooftop) solar increased by 25.4% in the first four months 2024 compared to the first third of 2023. Small-scale photovoltaic power alone grew by 19.3%, while utility-scale solar and photovoltaic power grew by 28.4% – much faster than any other energy source.

As a result, solar power accounted for 6.0% of total U.S. electricity generation in the first third of the decade and was growing rapidly. In April alone, its share rose to the highest level in history, 8.4%.

Small-scale solar power accounted for nearly one-third (30.8%) of all solar generation and provided nearly two percent (1.9%) of U.S. electricity supplies in the first four months of this year. In April it reached 2.5%.

Electricity production from the combination of all renewable energy sources (i.e. solar, wind and hydro as well as biomass and geothermal) increased by 6.3% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period a year earlier and provided 26.2% total production.

In April alone, renewable electricity production increased by 13.5% compared to April 2023 and reached 31.0% of total US energy production – for the first time in history, renewable energy sources provided more than 30% of national electricity production in any month. A year earlier it was 28.4%.

In April alone, the combination of wind and solar power alone accounted for almost a quarter (23.45%) of national electricity production, another record.

In the first four months of 2024, solar power production (6.0% of total production) almost equaled hydropower (6.1%), and in April exceeded it by almost 40%, making solar power the second largest renewable energy source – just behind wind (whose own production in April was more than twice that of hydropower). (2)

Similarly, electricity production from wind alone approached that of domestic coal-fired power plants in the first third of 2024 and exceeded coal production by more than a quarter (28.1%) in April. Wind and solar power produced more than twice as much electricity as coal in April.

Meanwhile, in the first half of 2024, the combination of wind and solar power almost matched the output of the country’s nuclear reactors, and in April alone produced nuclear power by more than 30%. The mix of all renewables provided almost 40% more electricity than nuclear in the first four months of 2024, and exceeded nuclear by 72.1% in April alone.

In summary, renewable energy sources have strengthened their position as the second largest source of electricity generation, second only to natural gas, whose advantage over renewable energy sources is constantly decreasing. The share of natural gas averaged 40.1% in the first quarter of 2023, but dropped to 38.5% in April.

“The latest EIA data does not yet include the sunniest days and weeks of the year, so it can be assumed that renewable energy sources will break further records in the coming months,” noted Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY campaign. “Renewables appear to be once again outperforming previous EIA projections.”

New from the SUN DAY campaign