Per the EIA, in the US in 2016 wind and solar energy generation accounted for nearly 9,000 MW and 8,000 MW, respectively, of capacity additions while natural gas-fired generation added approximately 7,900 MW. The cost of natural gas-fired generation is still considerably cheaper, averaging $895/kW versus wind and solar with an average installed cost (nominal…
The EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook released in July has natural gas-fired generation supplying approximately 37% of total electricity in the U.S. this summer, with coal-fired generation falling to approximately 30% of total supply. Low natural gas prices along with over 5 gigawatts of additional natural gas-fired capacity that has come online this year are the…
The significant growth of renewable energy generation has made it a challenge to effectively integrate into markets across the US. The inherent variability of wind and solar generation has led to wide, and fast swings in wholesale electricity prices due to supply and demand imbalances. According to a report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory…
New legislation along with the expiration and phase-down of the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credits (“PTC”) have lead to uncertainty in the renewable energy sector. PTCs play a significant role in a project’s viability. The value of the PTC was $24/MWh for projects that commenced construction in 2016 or earlier, however, for projects commenced in…
