US solar and wind growth defies expectations – a decade in numbers
The latest US EIA and FERC data reflect a decade of explosive solar and wind growth – here’s how it breaks down.
The SUN DAY Campaign reviewed EIA’s latest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” report (with electrical generation data through June 30, 2024) and compared it to EIA’s data for June 30, 2019 and for June 30, 2014. It also examined FERC’s latest monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” report (with installed generating capacity data through June 30, 2024) and likewise compared it to FERC’s data for June 30, 2019 and for June 30, 2014.
The installed US generating capacity mix of all renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind) now totals 389 gigawatts (GW). That’s over 50% greater than five years ago (258.58 GW) and more than double the renewable energy capacity that existed a decade ago (190.26 GW). Most of the growth is because of new solar and wind capacity.
Similarly, electrical generation by renewables has shown strong growth. Ten years ago, renewables provided 14.28% of the nation’s electrical generation. Five years later, it had grown to 20.11% and today stands at 26.01%. Again, most of the increase is due to wind and solar.
For the first half of 2024, renewables, including small-scale solar, provided 549,339 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrical generation. That’s almost 40% more than the amount renewables generated in the first half of 2019 (399,586 GWh) and nearly double the output reported for the first half of 2014 (287,136 GWh).
Over the past decade, wind has become a leader
Ten years ago, hydropower boasted about 62% more capacity than wind (99.64 GW vs. 61.45 GW) and generated 40% more electricity (140,659 GWh vs. 99,739 GWh).
Five years later, the two were nearly equal in both capacity (hydro: 100.73 GW vs. wind: 98.86 GW) and electrical generation (hydro: 153,790 GWh vs. wind: 154,338 GWh).
Now, however, wind has definitively overtaken hydropower with 152.64 GW of installed capacity compared to that of hydro (100.88 GW) as well as 247,435 GWh of actual electrical output during the first six months of 2024 compared to 126,139 GWh from hydro.
As of mid-2024, wind accounted for 11.72% of total US electrical generation. Five years prior, it was 7.77%, and a decade ago, its share (4.96%) was less than half of today’s figure.
Wind’s share of total installed generating capacity as of June 30, 2024, was 11.75% – a significant increase from its 8.25% share five years earlier and 5.26% a decade ago.
Solar is the fastest-growing source of new capacity and generation
In the past decade, solar has ballooned from a fraction of a percent of both capacity and generation to become the second-largest renewable in both categories.
At the end of June 2014, utility-scale solar provided a mere 9.25 GW (0.75%) of total installed US generating capacity. Generation by utility-scale solar (8,535 GWh) was only 0.42% of the US total and EIA wasn’t even reporting generation by distributed, small-scale (i.e., <1 MW) systems yet.
However, five years later, solar capacity (39.13 GW) accounted for 3.27% of total utility-scale capacity. Actual generation by utility-scale facilities in the first half of 2019 had risen more than fourfold to 36,042 GWh (1.81% of the total) with small-scale solar contributing an additional 17,520 GWh (0.88%).
By the middle of 2024, installed solar capacity had risen to 8.99% of total utility-scale capacity. Utility-scale systems generated 102,614 GWh (4.86%) and small-scale systems added another 42,449 GWh (2.01%).
This rate of solar and wind growth has defied expectations. Three years ago, FERC had projected that installed utility-scale solar capacity would reach 105.04 GW by mid-year 2024. Solar’s actual capacity today is 11.2% more than FERC’s earlier forecast. In addition, wind’s installed capacity is now 2.4% higher than FERC had anticipated.
Hydropower and geothermal ebbs and flows, biomass drops
Over the past decade, the installed capacity of hydropower has edged up very slowly from 99.64 GW in June 2014 to 100.73 GW five years later and 100.88 GW today. Because the installed capacity of all energy sources combined has grown by over 8% during the past 10 years, hydropower’s share of capacity has gradually declined from 8.57% in 2014 to 8.41% in 2019, to 7.77% in 2024.
Electrical generation by US hydropower facilities has ebbed and flowed from year to year. For example, it was 140,65 GWh in the first half of 2014 (7% of the total) and then 153,790 GWh in mid-2019 (7.74%) and is now 126,139 GWh (5.97%) for the first six months of 2024.
Electrical generation by biomass, as well as its share of installed generating capacity, has been on a slow decline for the past 10 years. FERC data indicate that utility-scale biomass capacity dropped from 16.05 GW (1.37% of the total) in mid-2014 to 16.02 GW (1.34%) in mid-2019 to 14.54 GW (1.12%) in mid-2024. Correspondingly, actual electrical generation fell from 30,095 GWh (1.50%) during the first half of 2014 to 29,520 GWh (1.49%) five years later and then to 23,062 GWh (1.09%) this year.
The smallest renewable energy source – geothermal – has shown a pattern similar to that of hydropower. Its installed capacity has risen slightly from 3.87 GW in 2014 to 4.14 GW today, while its share of the US total has consistently hovered around 0.32-0.33%. Actual generation has ebbed and flowed over the past decade providing 8,108 GWh (0.40%) in the first six months of 2014, then 8,376 GWh (0.42%) in the first half of 2019, and now 7,640 GWh (0.36%).
“Notwithstanding minimal changes in the contributions by hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, renewable energy sources have doubled their share of US generating capacity and electrical output over the past 10 years thanks to explosive growth by both wind and solar,” noted the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director Ken Bossong. “If the trends of the preceding decade continue, renewable energy sources could account for 40% or more of capacity and actual generation by 2035.”
Read more: Q3 2024 update: How many US EV charging ports there are now
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Environment
EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival
Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.
EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:
Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.
To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.
EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”
Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.
This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:
In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.
In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.
To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.
Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival
As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.
As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.
Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!
Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.
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Tesla is losing another top talent: its long-time head of software, David Lau, has reportedly told co-workers that he is exiting the automaker.
Tesla changed how the entire auto industry looks at software.
Before Tesla, it was an afterthought; user interfaces were rudimentary, and you had to go to a dealership to get a software update on your systems.
When Tesla launched the Model S in 2012, it all changed. Your car would get better through software updates like your phone, the large center display was responsive with a UI that actually made sense and was closer to an iPad experience than a car.
Tesla also integrated its software into its retail experience, service, and manufacturing.
David Lau deserves a lot of the credit for that.
He joined Tesla in 2012 as a senior manager of firmware engineering and quickly rose through the ranks. By 2014, he was promoted to director of firmware engineering and system integration, and in 2017, he became Vice President of software.
Lau listed the responsibilities of his team on his LinkedIn:
- Vehicle Software:
- Firmware for the powertrain, traction/stability control, HV electronics, battery management, and body control systems
- UI software and underlying Embedded Linux platforms
- Navigation and routing
- iOS and Android Mobile apps
- Distributed Systems:
- Server-side software and infrastructure that provides telemetry, diagnostics, over-the-air updates, and configuration/lifecycle management
- Data engineering and analytics platforms that power technical and business insights for an increasingly diverse set of customers across the company
- Diagnostic tools and fleet management, Manufacturing and Automation:
- Automation controls (PLC, robot)
- Server-side manufacturing execution systems that power all of Tesla’s production operations
- Product Security and Red Team for software, services, and systems across Tesla
Bloomberg reported today that Lau told his team he is leaving Tesla. The report didn’t include reasons for his stepping down.
Electrek’s Take
Twelve years at any company is a great run. At Tesla, it’s heroic. Congrats, David, on a great run. You undoubtedly had a significant impact on Tesla and software advancements in the broader auto industry.
He is another significant loss for Tesla, which has been losing a lot of top talent following a big wave of layoffs around this time last year.
I wonder who will take over. Michael Rizkalla, senior director of software engineering and vehicle firmware, is one of the most senior software engineers after Lau. He has been at Tesla for 7 years, and Tesla likes to promote within rather than hire outsiders.
There are also a lot of senior software execs working on AI at Tesla. Musk has been favoring them lately and he could fold Lau’s responsibilities under them.
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Kia’s electric SUVs are taking over. The EV3 is the best-selling retail EV in the UK this year, giving Kia its strongest sales start since it arrived 34 years ago. And it’s not just in the UK. Kia just had its best first quarter globally since it started selling cars in 1962.
Kia EV3 is the best-selling EV in the UK through March
In March, Kia sold a record nearly 20,000 vehicles in the UK, making it the fourth best-selling brand. It was also the second top-seller of electrified vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs), accounting for over 55% of sales.
The EV3 remained the best-selling retail EV in the UK last month. Including the EV6, three-row EV9, and Niro EV, electric vehicles represented 21% of Kia’s UK sales in March.
Kia said the EV3 “started with a bang” in January, darting out as the UK’s most popular EV in retail sales. Through March, Kia’s electric SUV has held on to the crown. With the EV3 rolling out, Kia sold over 7,000 electric cars through March, nearly 50% more than in Q1 2024.
The EV3 was the best-selling retail EV in the UK in the first quarter and the fourth best-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.
Starting at £33,005 ($42,500), Kia said it’s the “brand’s most affordable EV yet.” It’s available with two battery packs, 58.3 kWh or 81.48 kWh, good for 430 km (270 miles) and 599 km (375 miles) of WLTP range, respectively.
With new EVs on the way, this could be just the start. Kia is launching several new EVs in the UK this year, including the EV4 sedan (and hatchback) and EV5 SUV. It also confirmed that the first PV5 electric vans will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.
Electrek’s Take
Globally, Kia sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first quarter, its best since it started selling cars in 1962. With the new EV4, the brand’s first electric sedan and hatchback, launching this year, Kia looks to build on its momentum in 2025.
Kia has also made it very clear that it wants to be a global leader in the electric van market with its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, starting with the PV5 later this year.
Earlier today, we learned Kia’s midsize electric SUV, the EV5, is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia through March, outselling every BYD vehicle (at least for now). The EV5 is rolling out to new markets this year, including Canada, the UK, South Korea, and Mexico. However, it will not arrive in the US.
For those in the US, there are still a few Kia EVs to look forward to. Kia is launching the EV4 globally, including in the US, later this year. Although no date has been set, Kia confirmed the EV3 is also coming. It’s expected to arrive in mid-2026.
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