From the Energy Information Administration's Today in Energy (May 4):
Natural gas, renewables projected to provide larger shares of electricity generation
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2015
Republished 1:15 p.m. May 4, 2015 to correct an error in the graph.
EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2015 (AEO2015) Reference case projects that electricity consumption will increase at an average annual rate of 0.8% from 2013 to 2040, nearly in line with expected population growth. Continuing a recent trend toward lower levels of carbon-intensive generation, natural gas and renewable generation meet almost all of the increase.
Electricity generation from renewable sources provided 13% of U.S. electricity in 2013. In the AEO2015 Reference case, which reflects current laws and regulations—but not pending rules, such as the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan—this percentage is projected to increase to 18% by 2040.
Wind and solar generation account for nearly two-thirds of the growth in renewable generation. Solar is the fastest-growing renewable generation source, but wind accounts for the largest absolute increase in generation. Wind becomes the single largest source of renewable generation by 2040, supplanting hydropower as the largest renewable generation source. New solar photovoltaic capacity drives nearly all of the growth in solar generation, with increases coming from both the electric power sector and end-use sectors such as distributed or customer-sited generation (i.e., rooftop installations).
Source: Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2015
Note: MSW = municipal solid waste; LFG = landfill gas
Note: MSW = municipal solid waste; LFG = landfill gas
The natural gas share of total generation also grows, from 27% in 2013 to 31% in 2040 in the Reference case, while the coal share declines from 39% in 2013 to 34% in 2040, and the nuclear share drops from 19% to 16% over the projection period.
Natural gas-fired generation is highly dependent on natural gas prices as a result of competition with existing coal plants and renewables....MORE
