Wind and Solar Energy Covering 10 Percent of U.S. Needs

Wind generators in northern Germany

Wind farms and solar panels that dot the map of rural America now account for more than 10 percent of U.S. power generation. Wind farms in Texas, Oklahoma, and elsewhere accounted for 8 percent of electric generation, while residential and commercial solar installations provided about 2 percent. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says that, during 2016, wind and solar accounted for about 7 percent of power generation in the U.S. The record set in March comes after developers added a record 22.2 gigawatts of wind and solar in 2016. However, clean energy is seasonal, as solar power flourishes in the summer when the days are longer, and wind energy thrives in the spring and summer as wind speeds increase.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects the total clean energy output to fall back below the 10 percent level later this summer.

Source: NAFB News Service

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