Author: US Energy Information Administration

Average US Construction Costs Drop for Solar, Rise for Wind & Natural Gas Generators

Construction costs for solar photovoltaic systems continued to decrease in the United States in 2020; the capacity-weighted average fell 8% compared with 2019, according to the latest data in our Annual Electric Generator Report on newly constructed utility-scale electric generators. By contrast, average construction costs for both wind turbines and natural gas-fired … [continued]

U.S. Commercial Buildings Continued To Increase Their Energy Efficiency Through 2018

According to our recently released 2018 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), the total floorspace in commercial buildings has increased but energy consumption has not, compared with our last survey (2012 CBECS). This difference indicates that the consumption per square foot (energy intensity) has decreased, which means that its efficiency has likely … [continued]

Record Numbers of Solar Panels Were Shipped in the United States During 2021

U.S. shipments of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules (solar panels) rose to a record electricity-generating capacity of 28.8 million peak kilowatts (kW) in 2021, from 21.8 million peak kW in 2020, based on data from our Annual Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report. Continued demand for U.S. solar capacity drove this increase in solar … [continued]

U.S. Energy Production Declined by Record Amounts in Several States in 2020

In 2020, energy production in the United States fell by record amounts compared with 2019, mostly as a result of decreased economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wyoming had the largest drop in total energy production among the states, decreasing by 1,264 trillion British thermal units, mostly due to decreased coal production. … [continued]

Small-Scale Solar is Changing Hourly Utility Electricity Demand in New England

An increase in electricity generation from small-scale, customer-sited photovoltaic (PV) solar in New England is changing the hourly pattern of metered electricity demand during the spring (March–May), which you can see in our Hourly Electric Grid Monitor. Small-scale solar PV are systems with less than 1 megawatt (MW) of generating capacity … [continued]