Hello Everyone,
This is Jeff Shed, CEO of Sunshine Renewable Solutions based in Houston, Texas. Our good friends and fellow solar enthusiasts at Sunrgy spoke with us about collaborating and sharing some information on the state of renewable energy, specifically solar energy in Texas – naturally, we were delighted to have a guest spot on this blog.
This article will cover some of the latest stats and trends regarding solar energy and renewables in Texas, and there is some encouraging and exciting data here. We cannot wait to continue developing relationships across the Texas solar community!
Renewable Energy in The United States
Renewable energy, including solar power, continues to be not only successful in the United States but experiencing steady/far-reaching market growth. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy sources generated about 834 billion kWh of electricity in 2020; this made up about 21% of combined electricity in the U.S. Examples of increasing renewable energy include solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal energy.
When it comes to solar energy, Texas solar is the second leading state in the nation for energy production. According to SEIA, there are currently seventeen solar facilities in Texas. Each generates at least 100 megawatts of power, increasing demand for solar panels in Texas and a promising future for sustainable energy.
Overall, renewable energy has improved significantly in recent years. For the very first time, renewables surpassed nuclear and coal-generated energy. The only resource that produced more energy than renewables in 2020 was natural gas. In general, the use of coal in the U.S. continues to decrease as wind and solar become the preferred method of energy generation.
Did The Global Pandemic Affect Solar?
The global pandemic didn’t necessarily negatively affect solar energy production, particularly in Texas. In the U.S. alone, utility-scale solar generation increased 26%, while small-scale solar-like grid-connected rooftop solar panels increased 19%; this is great news for Texas, making incredible progress for residential and commercial solar energy cultivation. The increased demand for solar installations in Texas has given rise to more solar companies in Texas looking to meet market needs.
For Texas alone, the global pandemic only increased its need for solar energy. In fact, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported that Texas’ utility-scale solar capacity increased by 150% in 2020. In 2021, the state’s utility-scale solar capacity may have reached a capacity of 13,449 megawatts. If these numbers continue to grow, it will mean even more demand for solar energy in the Lone Star State, which already has very impressive numbers of energy output.
A Bright Future for Solar!
Solar energy has a promising future for 2022. Although there was an increase in coal-fired electricity in 2021, the EIA expects this to drop by 2% in 2022, and this is because they believe that renewable energy will meet the energy demands of the grid. With the success of wind and solar energy, especially during the pandemic, renewable energy generation could increase by 10% in 2022.
With the EIA expecting renewable resources to become the second-largest energy source in the United States, nuclear electric power could decrease by 3% in 2022. As for Texas, its vast and open landscape will only allow for developing a larger and more robust solar market.
Thanks again to Sunrgy for helping us share some valuable solar information and being great partners to work with.
If you have any questions about commercial or residential solar installations, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
-Jeff
Sunshine Renewable Solutions