Seems that wind and solar are falling in true capacity compared to nat gas. But what the greenies like @rumble_lion tell you is they are gaining because they don’t list true capacity. Wind only produces about 40% of its listed capacity and industry scale solar only about 15%.
Much more in article:
The difference between actual power generation and nameplate is called the “capacity factor” or CF for the generator. The typical capacity factors for different generating technologies are pretty well known, although they can vary from machine to machine.
To be generous to renewables, let’s say that solar has a CF of 15% and wind 40%. (The standard numbers are lower.) Gas easily has 80%. Applying these factors to our construction numbers gives the following actual generating capacities:
Put another way, America increased its fossil fuel generating capacity by three times as much as it did for renewables. Clearly renewables are falling behind fossil fuels, and by a lot.
Much more in article:
The difference between actual power generation and nameplate is called the “capacity factor” or CF for the generator. The typical capacity factors for different generating technologies are pretty well known, although they can vary from machine to machine.
To be generous to renewables, let’s say that solar has a CF of 15% and wind 40%. (The standard numbers are lower.) Gas easily has 80%. Applying these factors to our construction numbers gives the following actual generating capacities:
- Gas: 19,000 x 0.8 = 15,200 MW
- Wind: 9,000 x 0.4 = 3,600 MW
- Solar: 7,000 x 0.15 = 1,050 MW
Put another way, America increased its fossil fuel generating capacity by three times as much as it did for renewables. Clearly renewables are falling behind fossil fuels, and by a lot.
Gas Fired Generation Is Building Its Lead Over Solar and Wind
Solar and wind get a lot of attention but its gas fired generation that is producing more and more of our electricity in this country.
naturalgasnow.org
