Wind, gas, solar dominate new power plant installations

Source: By Timothy Cama, The Hill.com • Posted: Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Power companies’ new generating capacity this year will be dominated by wind, natural gas and solar power, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

Wind will see a net increase of 9.8 gigawatts of capacity throughout the country, the most of any power source, the EIA said Tuesday, based on generating companies’ stated expectations.

Gas accounts for another 4.3 gigawatts, followed by solar’s 2.2 gigawatts, the EIA reported.The three sources will be 91 percent of new generating capacity this year.

Meanwhile, coal-fired power plants are scheduled to lose 12.9 gigawatts of capacity due to retirements, accounting for 81 percent of the country’s total planned retirements.

 The wind additions will mainly be in Great Plains, where 85 percent of the new turbines will be, according to the EIA. New solar capacity is dominated by California and North Carolina, and new gas generators will be spread around the country.

Retirements of coal-fired power plants are mostly in Appalachia, the EIA said.