According to an analysis by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), natural gas accounted for 85.0% of new electrical generating capacity additions in May (2,087-MW) with only anemic growth by utility-scale solar (312-MW), biomass (50-MW), hydropower (4-MW), and geothermal (2-MW). 

According to the latest issue of FERC's monthly "Energy Infrastructure Update" (with data for the first five months of 2018), for the second month in a row, no new utility-scale wind capacity was reported. There were also no new capacity additions by coal, oil, or nuclear power. 

Year-to-date, gas holds a strong lead (6,646-MW) accounting for 61.9% of all new generating capacity, followed by wind (18.2%) and solar (17.9%). Renewables, including hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, accounted for 37.1% of new capacity additions during the first five months of 2018. The balance (1.0%) came from waste heat, oil, nuclear, and "other" (e.g., fuel cells & storage). 

Renewable sources now account for 20.66% of total available installed generating capacity - more than double that of nuclear power (9.12%) and approaching that of coal (23.04%). *

Moreover, over the next three years (i.e., through June 2021), FERC reports that -- based on proposed generation additions and retirements -- coal will experience a net reduction in capacity of 15,898-MW while gas will experience a net growth of 71,097-MW.

In comparison, net additions by renewables are forecast to nearly triple the net new capacity of coal, oil, gas, and nuclear combined (56,217-MW) and total 156,981-MW (wind: 90,981-MW; solar: 52,216-MW; hydropower: 12,014-MW, geothermal: 1,115-MW, and biomass: 655-MW). **

FERC | www.ferc.gov