This was the first time ever in the history of the US that electricity generated from renewable sources surpassed that generated from coal
Days are looking brighter for the US despite the dark clouds of the pandemic looming large. More electricity was generated from renewable energy sources in the U.S. as compared to energy from coal powered plants.
This is derived from data from the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) that has been put together by Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). This was the first time ever in the history of the US that electricity generated from renewable sources surpassed that generated from coal, making it a significant milestone in the clean energy transition. This result from large scale solar power, wind power and hydropower plants can be attributed to a variety of factors. Low gas prices, hotter temperatures, increased clean energy capacity that is grid-connected; and decrease in power demand due to COVID induced lockdown.
According to IEEFA, renewables was forecasted to overtake coal in electricity generation by 2021. However, with the present situation, this might become a reality this year.
Despite the positive run for clean tech, the pandemic and it’s after effects are affecting the renewables industry quite hard and might translate to almost half a million in number of jobs lost. However, renewable energy has gained a strong foothold in the US energy market. In Q1 of 2020, solar, wind and hydropower capacity saw a marked uptick. The phenomenon of renewables overtaking fossil fuel based plants is global in nature and is slowly gaining foothold in the US as well.
The pandemic may just help boost the adoption of renewables in the overall energy mix. While the importance of fossil fuel based electricity cannot be undermined, renewables are going a play a crucial role in the years to come. However, issues such as intermittency, energy storage, funding and government policies that are far from adequate, seem to plague the clean energy industry, impeding or rather slowing down progress so to speak.
Apart from the obvious environmental effects, renewable energy capacity addition is imperative at the moment. With a booming global population and rising temperatures, the world is in more need for uninterrupted and efficient power, than ever before. More and more rural areas are hopping on to the grid. The unpredictable direction of climate demands more heating or cooling systems depending on where one is located on the planet. Creating energy security and energy surplus is a crucial for the growth of any country and economy. This apart, the effects of fossil fuel based sources of energy on human health, fauna and natural ecosystems cannot be harped on enough. The bottom-line is the clean energy transition is inevitable for the progression of the human species into a better, cleaner and brighter world.
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