Clean power installations in the U.S. rose 17% on the first half of the year, when compared to the same period from a year ago; the American Clean Power Association (ACP) revealed on its latest Clean Power Quarterly 2021 2Q Market Report.
Firstly, power developers also commissioned 9,915 megawatts of power; which is the highest record for new clean power installations to date. For the second quarter of the year, installation of new clean power infrastructure totaled 5,620 MW which is a 13% increase from the same period form a year ago.
Secondly, specifically for solar, the industry installed 2,226 MW of solar capacity in the second quarter; a 73 percent increase compared to the first quarter. This increase brings total new annual operating solar capacity to 3,513 MW.
Thirdly, the wind sector also reached new records; it installed 2,824 MW of new capacity in the second quarter of 2021; a 10 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
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Clean power growth to continue for 2022
While battery storage experienced an astonishing 439% increase, with 570MW of new capacity. Now the U.S. has a total battery capacity of 665 MW, nearly the 2020-year-end total.
Moreover, about the new high records and the performance of clean energy infrastructure installation during 2021; Heather Zichal, ACP CEO, said. “This growth and expansion are expected to continue but we need policymakers in Washington to make long term decisions to ensure we can continue to develop these critical projects.”
In addition, in term so of project commissioning; owners installed a total of 56 new projects across 27 states during the second quarter; which includes 16 new wind projects; 30 utility-scale solar projects; and 7 energy storage projects and 3 solar-storage hybrid projects enough to power nearly 1.3 million American homes.
Finally, in total, there are now over 180,216 MW of clean power capacity operating in the U.S; enough to power over 50 million homes across the country; and more than double the U.S. capacity just five years ago. The ACP forecasts that this growth will continue, as, at the end of the 2Q there were 906 projects totaling over 101,897 MW under construction; or in advanced development across the U.S.
