Renewable energy will continue to make gains in 2022 as new power plants come online. According to a recent report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 46.1 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric generating capacity will be added to the U.S. power grid in 2002, and 46 percent of the planned new capacity will be solar energy. The EIA expects utility-scale solar generating capacity to grow by 21.5 GW this year, up from 15.5 GW of solar capacity additions in 2021.
In addition, natural gas will account for 21 percent (9.6 GW) of the new capacity, while wind, batteries and nuclear will represent 17 percent (7.6 GW), 11 percent (5.1 GW) and 5 percent (2.2 GW), respectively.
Most of the planned solar additions in 2022 will be in Texas, with 28 percent of the national total (6.1 GW), followed by California providing around 18 percent (4.0 GW).
Most of the new planned natural gas production — 88 percent — will be located in Ohio, Florida, Michigan a