Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

US Utility-Scale Solar, Wind Capacity Could Double by 2020

Renewable Energy World: Proposed net additions to generating capacity by utility-scale wind and solar in the U.S. could total 116 GW by December 2020 — effectively doubling their current installed capacity of 115.5 GW, according to the latest issue of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Energy Infrastructure Update, with data through Nov. 30, 2017.

At the same time, the FERC report suggests that coal might experience a net decline of 18.7 GW — equivalent to 6.6 percent of current capacity — while nuclear power drops by 2.3 GW — equivalent to 2.2 percent of current capacity.

The numbers were released as FERC prepares for a January 10 meeting to consider U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry's proposal for a bail out of the coal and nuclear industries.

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