According to data from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), renewable energy sources in the United States are poised to rival, and potentially outpace, natural gas in electrical generating capacity within the next three years.

In March, solar power alone contributed 99.7% of the newly added capacity, marking the seventh consecutive month where it surpassed all other energy sources combined. FERC's report reveals that 52 units of solar provided 2,833 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, comprising almost 100% of the total. 

For the first quarter of 2024, solar accounted for 86.79% of new capacity, while wind contributed 12.40%. This trend has been consistent since September 2023, with solar consistently leading in new capacity additions. Additionally, the growth of solar in Q1 2024 has more than doubled compared to the same period in 2023. When considering biomass and geothermal, renewables collectively claim over 29% of total utility-scale generating capacity.

FERC projects significant growth for solar in the coming years, with forecasted additions far surpassing those of wind and other resources. If these projections hold, solar could constitute over 14% of installed US utility-scale generating capacity by April 2027, exceeding coal and wind individually. Within the next three years, the combined generating capacity of renewables could rival, or even surpass, that of natural gas in the US.

Based on: https://electrek.co/