From staff reports According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a new study shows that solar-generated electricity is growing across the nation.
In August 2024, utility-scale generation of solar electricity averaged 63.1 gigawatt-hours between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day in the Lower 48 states, 36% more than for the same hours in August 2023.
Additions of solar generating capacity outpaced other resources in the U.S. electric power sector in 2023, and the EIA expects this trend to continue through the end of this year.
In August 2024, a total of 107.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar electricity generating capacity was operating in the Lower 48 states compared with 81.9 GW in August 2023, according to EIA’s Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.
Between August and December this year, EIA expects that U.S. utility- scale developers will add 24 GW of solar electricity generating capacity. In the final five months of 2024, EIA expects new U.S. solar electricity generating capacity will constitute 63%, or nearly two-thirds, of all new electricity generating capacity to come online in the United States.
Three states accounted for almost one-half of the utility-scale solar fleet in the U.S. in August 2024: California (21.0 GW), Texas (18.8 GW), and Florida (9.7 GW).