SOLAR TODAY - May 2011 - Innovative Design

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view from the states Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Compiled by Mike Koshmrl, Associate Editor Nonhydro renewable energy sources generate only a shade over 4 percent of all U.S. electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (eia.gov). Scant as that sounds, the percentage has doubled in just five years. Distributed sources, at this point, contribute only a drop in the bucket. SOLAR TODAY estimates that distributed photovoltaic (PV) and wind contributed less than 0.1 percent to total domestic electricity generation in 2010. Most renewable energy connected to the grid today comes from utility-scale projects, which span several different technologies. Last year the wind, biomass and geothermal industries led the United States in renewable generation. The map summarizes the current state of each industry. *Data from the Energy Information Administration, December 2009 to December 2010 New Hampshire Washington Oregon California Alaska w SwBG Nevada SG Idaho G Arizona S Utah G Montana Wyoming Colorado S New Mexico North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Texas w Oklahoma Minnesota w Iowa w Wisconsin Missouri Arkansas Illinois Michigan Indiana Kentucky Tennessee Alabama B Mississippi Ohio Georgia B Florida Vermont Virginia New York Pennsylvania B S West Virginia North Carolina South Carolina B Louisiana Hawaii G 28 May 2011 SOLAR TODAY solartoday.org Copyright © 2011 by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved.
Maine Massachusetts Rhode Island New Jersey Delaware Maryland Solar — By the close of 2010, the U.S. solar industry had 2.13 gigawatts (GW) connected to the grid, of which 82 percent was distributed. Solar Energy Industries Association reports that 25 GW of utility-scale projects are in various stages of planning and construction. The solar industry is thus poised to climb higher up the list. Connecticut District of Columbia SwBG Solar Wind Biomass Geothermal Wind — 2.3 percent of U.S. electricity generation • Total generation: 94.7 million megawatt-hours (MWh) • New 2010 generation: 20.8 million MWh With 5,115 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, 2010 was a down year for the wind industry, relative to a record breaking 2009 (10,000 MW installed). But wind is still far and away nonhydro renewable energy’s largest contribution to the grid — the American Wind Energy Association reports that wind projects are responsible for 40 percent of all new electricity generation capacity in the United States. Although 2,000 MW of offshore wind projects are now in the planning process, every last watt of wind’s 40,180 MW of generating capacity installed to date has been onshore. All but approximately 100 MW has been utility-scale, as the small wind industry (turbines of 100 kilowatts or less) has been slow to take hold. Thirty-six states logged some wind electricity generation in 2010. Here are the five leaders — 1) Texas — 26.1 million MWh 2) Iowa — 8.8 million MWh 3) California — 6.6 million MWh 4) Minnesota — 5.2 million MWh 5) Washington — 4.6 million MWh Biomass — 1.4 percent of U.S. electricity generation • Total generation: 56.5 million MWh • New 2010 generation: 2 million MWh Biomass is renewable energy’s primary nonhydro contribution to baseload electricity in this country. Although the bioenergy industry has been mostly stagnant over the past two decades, until 2008 it surpassed even wind in terms of net generation. Because so many different source fuels constitute biomass, it’s an underthe-radar renewable resource that lacks a unified industry voice. According to the Energy Information Administration, the shortlist of what qualifies as biomass includes paper pellets, railroad ties, utility poles, wood chips, biogenic municipal solid waste, landfill gas, agricultural byproducts and biomass gases (including digester gases and methane). These materials, and others, are typically burned at cogeneration plants that provide both heat and electricity. The nation’s largest biomass power plant, the 140-MW New Hope Power Partnership in South Bay, Fla., is a cogenerator that relies on burning sugar cane and recycled urban wood. Forty-six states logged some biomass electricity generation in 2010. Here are the five leaders — 1) California — 6.3 million MWh 2) Florida — 4.4 million MWh 3) Maine — 4.0 million MWh 4) Georgia — 3.1 million MWh 5) Alabama — 3.0 million MWh Geothermal — 0.4 percent of U.S. electricity generation • Total generation: 15.7 million MWh • New 2010 generation: 660,000 MWh The United States is the world leader in geothermal electricity production. The industry is now expanding its focus beyond the conventional resources near tectonic plate boundaries in the West. Three American cities (Boise, Idaho; Klamath Falls, Ore.; and Pagosa Springs, Colo.) have municipal geothermal heating districts. All have planned systems expansions. Geothermal capacity grew less than 1 percent last year, from 3,087 MW to 3,102 MW. But 146 projects in 15 different states are currently in some stage of development, according to the Geothermal Energy Association. Although 15 different states are pursuing geothermal plants, only five states, listed below, generated geothermal electricity in 2010. 1) California — 13 million MWh 2) Nevada — 2.1 million MWh 3) Utah — 270,000 MWh 4) Hawaii — 200,000 MWh 5) Idaho — 90,000 MW Copyright © 2011 by the American Solar Energy Society Inc. All rights reserved. solartoday.org SOLAR TODAY May 2011 29
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