When Solar & Wind Power Capacities Go Up, Electricity Generation From Solar & Wind Go Up (Charts)
It’s logical, right? More solar power capacity = more electricity from solar power. More wind power capacity = more electricity from wind power. Nonetheless, we do attract a fair number of trolls who like to claim that capacity isn’t important, electricity generation is all that matters, and solar and wind power plants don’t produce electricity at 100% of capacity. Indeed, they don’t — no type of power plant does — but the relationship between capacity and electricity production is pretty damn clear, as these two charts from the National Renewable Energy Lab’s Renewable Energy Data Book [PDF] (h/t Pet Danko) show:
US Wind Power Capacity & Generation
US Solar Power Capacity & Generation
Go ahead and file those away in your “Graphs for Trolls” folder.
Electricity from solar power plants and wind power plants is growing fast, and it cuts more and more electricity production from other power plants. So, there’s a lot to cheer about from growing solar and wind power plants!
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