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The Grid Adds More Renewable Capacity
In the second half of this year, the US grid is expected to add 29 GW of capacity, which is close to double the 15.1 GW increase seen in the first half of the year, according to the US Energy Information Agency (EIA). A bump in solar energy accounts for much of the rise.
During the first half of 2022, wind generation represented the largest share, 34%, of the new 15.1 GW of capacity added to the grid. More than 40% of the wind capacity gained so far in 2022 came from projects in Texas, That state accounted for 2.2 GW of the 5.2 GW wind total. Natural gas, solar, and battery storage were the next most popular options.
A Change In Outlook
The script shifts in the second half of the year. Wind continues to grow and is expected to generate 6.0 GW of new capacity. However, solar (13.6 GW) accounts for a tad less than half of the new capacity. Why the change? Because of tax incentives, many projects come online in December.
But there was some negative news. Even with the big boost, the solar number is 3.7 GW less than what was expected at the start of the year. Pandemic-related challenges in supply chains and a US Department of Commerce investigation into China’s role in solar equoipment pricing were seem as likely causes for this decrease.
Energy companies have been investing so they rely more on new renewable energy sources and less on traditional fossil fuel. The additional capacity coming onboard could strain the US grid, which has been operating with the basic design for decades. Progress continues so utilities need to ensure that their portions of the grid are able to handle the changes.
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