Renewable energy sources are generating an ever-growing portion of the world's electricity thanks to wind and solar power.

 According to the U.S., renewable energy made up about one-quarter of all utility-scale generation in the first half of 2022, but it was still behind natural gas-fired capacity. Administration for Energy Information (EIA).

Renewable energy sources are generating an ever-growing portion of the world's electricity thanks to wind and solar power.

According to the EIA's June Electricity Monthly Update, renewable energy grew its market share by 3% annually to 24%, continuing a ten-year trend of 3% increases every five to six years. The agency claims that the "fastest-growing" source of electricity generation in the nation is from renewable sources.

According to the EIA's Short Term Energy Outlook for September, renewable energy sources might supply 22% of all electricity in 2022 and 24% in 2023.

Hydropower and wind generation, 

Hydropower and wind generation, when combined, have historically been the main sources of renewable generating in the first half of the year due to melting snowpacks and peak wind season occurring simultaneously.

However, hydropower electricity generation was declining nationwide in June 2022, with the exception of the West, where it increased by 3.43 TWh annually to 17.97 TWh.

In the meantime, wind generation increased across the nation. Between June 2021 and June 2022, the US installed 10% of its entire wind capacity, totaling 137.6 GW. EIA forecasts that an additional 7 GW will go online by the end of the year.

With an increase of 3.51 TWh year/year to 16.12 TWh, the Central United States experienced the biggest rise in wind energy production when compared to the rest of the nation. The region's natural gas-fired generation fell year over year in June, from 18.26 TWh to 17.94 TWh.

In Texas, when June temperatures were above average and power demand increased by 9.7% year over year, wind generation increased by 2.35 TWh to 8.38 TWh. The region's natural gas-fired generation grew 1.17 TWh year/year to 22 TWh.

Natural gas-fired generation

The increased demand for energy in the Southeast and Florida was met by natural gas-fired generation, for which the EIA reported no wind generation. The two regions' combined natural gas-fired generation increased by 8.48 TWh, with the Southeast recording the majority of the increases.

Wind generation increased by 2.35 TWh to 8.38 TWh in Texas, when June temperatures were above average and power demand increased by 9.7% year over year. Additionally, the region's natural gas-fired generation climbed by 1.17 TWh annually to 22 TWh.

Natural gas-fired output met the rising demand for electricity in the Southeast and Florida, regions for which the EIA reported no wind generation. 8.48 TWh more of natural gas-fired power was produced in the two areas as a whole, with the Southeast accounting for the majority of the increases.