The production of U.S. energy from solar increased by 13.85% in 2019, while that from wind grew by 10.06%, according to a SUN DAY Campaign analysis of newly-released data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The latest issue of EIA’s Monthly Energy Review (with data through Dec. 31, 2019) reveals that – for the first time – in 2019, energy from solar sources topped 1% of total U.S. energy production, while energy from wind reached nearly 3% (2.71%).
The growth in solar and wind energy’s contribution to the nation’s energy mix was largely offset by declines in hydropower (down 6.41%), biomass (down 3.67%), and biofuels (down 2.92%). Geothermal remained unchanged.
Energy production by all renewable energy sources combined (i.e., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) increased just marginally last year (0.24%) compared to 2018. Consumption of renewable energy also expanded – but by only 0.53%.
While energy production by the combination of all renewables did register very modest growth, a 7.06% expansion in output by fossil fuels resulted in renewables’ share of total energy production actually dropping from 12.14% in 2018 to 11.52% in 2019. But renewables’ share of domestic energy consumption did increase slightly from 11.27% to 11.45%.
To read EIA’s Monthly Energy Review concerning the production and consumption of renewable energy in 2019, click here.
Photo: The front page of EIA’s Monthly Energy Review
