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Wind power generation hit a new record in the United States in April, with wind power outpacing coal-fired generation in both March and April, data from our July 2024 Monthly Energy Overview show.
U.S. wind power first surpassed coal-fired power in April 2023, but didn’t do it again for another 11 months. Last spring was the first time U.S. wind power surpassed coal-fired power for two months in a row. Wind power in general produces the most electricity in spring in the United States.
Wind power facilities in the United States generated 45.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity in March 2024, compared to 38.4 GWh from coal-fired power plants. In April 2024, coal-fired generation fell to 37.2 GWh. Wind power, meanwhile, rose to a record 47.7 GWh. However, through the first four months of 2024, coal-fired generation outpaced wind generation in the United States by 15%.
Recent coal and wind power generation is very different from 20 years ago. In March 2004, coal-fired power plants produced 154.3 GWh of electricity, while wind power plants produced 1.3 GWh.
Installed wind power generation capacity in the United States has increased significantly over the past 25 years, from 2.4 gigawatts (GW) in 2000 to 150.1 GW in April 2024. In contrast, a significant number of coal-fired power plants have closed over the past 25 years, causing total coal capacity to decline from 315.1 GW in 2000 to 177.1 GW in April 2024.
Other sources of electricity generation have also increased during the time that coal-fired generation has declined. Since 2000, solar power has increased by 99.1 GWh, and generation from natural gas, which is often more price-competitive than coal in electricity distribution markets, has increased by 287.6 GWh.
After record wind capacity additions of over 14.0 GW in both 2020 and 2021, new wind farm deployments in the US have slowed over the past two years. Operators expect According to our July report, 7.1 GW of wind capacity will be available in the United States by 2024 Monthly Energy Overview.
After shutting down 22.3 GW of U.S. coal-fired power generation capacity over the past two years, operators plan to slow the retirement of coal plants through 2024. plan to retire 2.8 GW of coal-fired capacity in 2024, data from our July report Monthly Energy Overview show.
Main contributors: Kimberly Peterson, Mark Morey. First published on US EIA's Today in Energy.
This TIE was updated on August 14, 2024 to correct the units.
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