Solar panel field in Mosca, Colorado, in the San Luis Valley. (Denver Post file photo)
Renewable energy reached 15 percent of total electric generating capacity in 2013 and accounted for nearly two-thirds of all new installations for the year, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The Golden-based federal laboratory has issued its annual providing a comprehensive view of renewable energy resources in the country.
Here are a few of the NREL study’s findings:
* Since 2000, cumulative renewable electricity installations in the United States have nearly doubled, and in 2013 they represented 171 gigawatts of installed U.S. capacity. Every renewable electricity technology added capacity in 2013, with overall renewable electricity capacity increasing 4.6%
* U.S. renewable electricity in 2013 was 14.8% of total overall installed electricity capacity and 13.1% of total annual generation in the United States.
* Solar electricity generating capacity grew by a factor of 35 between 2000 and 2013 and currently accounts for 0.5% of annual U.S. electricity generation. Photovoltaic solar panel cumulative capacity increased 65% in 2013.
* California installed nearly 2.6 GW of solar and 0.3 GW of wind capacity in 2013, the most of any state.
Here’s a comparison of the main sources for electricity generation in 2006 and 2013.
2006
Coal 31.8%
Natural gas 41.9%
Nuclear 10.0%
Renewables 9.9%
Petroleum 6.1%
2013
Coal 28.8%
Natural gas 42.5%
Nuclear 9.0%
Renewables 14.8%
Petroleum 4.5%
The top states for renewable energy resources were:
California
Washington
Texas
Oregon
New York
For total installed solar panel capacity here are the top states and their capacity in megawatts
California 5,183
Arizona 1,563
New Jersey 1,185
North Carolina 469
Massachusetts 445
Nevada 424
Colorado 360
