Giorgia Burzachechi According to a study by Ember, during the first half of 2024, energy production from wind and solar plants in the United States surpassed that of nuclear power plants, becoming the country's largest source of clean energy. This marks a significant growth in clean renewable energy compared to the past.
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During the first half of this year, wind and solar power production in the United States surpassed that of nuclear power plants for the first time, becoming the leading source of clean energy in the country.
A milestone in renewable energy
According to data from Ember, a renewable energy think tank, this six-month period marks the first time that electricity supply from renewable sources has exceeded that from nuclear energy. This significant milestone highlights the progress in the US energy transition efforts. In the first half of 2024, industrial-scale solar and wind power generation reached a record 401.4 terawatt-hours (TWh), compared to 390.5 TWh from nuclear power plants.
2024 is poised to be the first full year where the majority of US electricity comes from renewables, surpassing any other form of clean energy.
Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act
This achievement can be attributed to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which has also benefited agricultural practices in Arizona.
From 2015 to the end of 2023, the combined monthly electricity production from industrial-scale solar and wind plants exceeded that of US nuclear power plants on only three occasions: in April and May 2022, and in April 2023, according to Ember. In the first half of 2024, renewable energy production was nearly 3% higher than that of nuclear energy.
Rapid Growth in Renewable Energy
During the same period last year, nuclear power production was over 9% higher than that of solar and wind sources, underscoring the rapid growth of this sector. In the current year, solar and wind production increased by 30% and 10%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023.
These remarkable results were achieved due to the large number of renewable installations between 2018 and 2023. Solar capacity increased by 168%, while wind capacity grew by 56%, according to Ember. During the same period, fossil fuel energy generation capacity decreased by 3.7%.
A Positive Outlook for Renewables
This is an excellent sign for the renewable energy sector, demonstrating that with the right investments, the production potential is set to grow significantly.
Source: Ember
