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For the first time, solar photovoltaic energy generated more electricity than wind in a single month, according to the Department of Energys Energy Information Administration (EIA).
For the first time in U.S. energy history, solar photovoltaic power surpassed wind in monthly electricity generation. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar accounted for 7.41% of electricity generation in July and 7.42% in August. By comparison, wind contributed 6.36% and 6.65% during those same months.
Despite this milestone, wind power still dominates on an annual basis, producing 76% more electricity than solar in 2023, and is expected to regain its leading position as solar generation declines during the winter months.
The recent surge in solar is not unexpected. While wind and solar combined grew 4.5% in 2023 compared to 2022, all of this growth came from solar, as wind generation declined. Higher upfront costs for wind, coupled with inflationary pressures, have created challenges for the wind sector, while solar continues to expand rapidly.
“This trend has been underway for three years now, as peak wind generation growth appears to have plateaued,” said Devin Gionanni, a programmer and data analyst at PV Intel, who first spotted the change.
According to net generation data from the EIA’s Electricity Data Navigator, solar not only outpaced wind in percentage terms over the past two months, but also set record monthly generation volumes during the summer months of 2024.
Solar power generation for 2024 peaked in May, accounting for 8.56% of total electricity production. Its seasonal low is expected in December or January, with the figure for January 2024 at 3.75%.
This August, solar accounted for 7.42% of all electric generation, up nearly 28% from 5.80% in August 2023, according to the EIA’s Electric Power Monthly. Over the past year, the 12-month moving average for solar has continued its steady climb, now reaching 6.41% of all U.S. electric generation.
In another milestone, California has surpassed 30% of its electricity coming from solar energy over the past 12 months. This achievement has been made possible by significant expansions in energy storage capacity, which allow for greater utilization of solar energy during the day. By storing excess generation and releasing it during the peak nighttime demand period, energy storage has greatly reduced the need for curtailments.
In 2023, California also saw more than 100 days where renewable energy met 100% of electricity demand at some point in the day. These achievements underscore the transformative role of solar and energy storage in reshaping the U.S. energy landscape, pushing boundaries and driving innovation in grid management. |
