Over the month of March, renewable energy sources generated more electricity than was produced from natural gas plants for the first time. This is an impressive milestone considering that renewable energy is under attack from the current administration. On an overall basis, emissions-free sources, which include renewables as well as nuclear energy, produced more than half of the country’s electricity. This is only the third time this has happened for an entire month.
Looking back 25 years to the turn of the century, at that time more than half of our electricity came from coal-powered plants while renewables produced about 7%. Coal plants now produce only about 15% of the country’s electricity. Natural gas has continued to contribute a growing fraction of our electricity over the years, starting from about 17% in 2000 up to about 35% now.
The growth in renewables has primarily resulted from the rapid expansion of solar power along with steady growth in wind power. Other renewable sources, such as hydropower and bioenergy have seen their percentage contribution slowly decline over time.
Renewable energy has grown its market share even as overall electricity demand has risen. Solar, batteries, and wind combined are making up the overwhelming majority of new energy capacity added to the grid. This has been true for several years and the trend will continue.
The Trump administration continues to create obstacles to building renewable energy plants. But the country needs more electricity and renewables are the easiest way to get it. March was the first month renewables out-generated natural gas. It is not likely to be the last.
