2017 study shows solar energy generation outpaces biomass for first time

Driven by increased use of solar photovoltaic systems in recent years, solar resources overtook biomass resources as the third largest source of renewable energy for the first time in 2017, ranking behind only hydro and wind, the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) reported.

Solar resources generated 77 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in 2017 compared the 66 million MWh generated by biomass resources that year. Biomass electricity generation has remained static while solar generation mas more than doubled from the less than 30 million MWh generated in 2014.

EIA reported that use of solar thermal systems that convert sunlight into steam to generate power has remained flat at about 3 million MWh hours in recent years. Meanwhile, generation from solar photovoltaic systems increased from 15 million MWh in 2014 to 50 million MWh in 2017. Small-scale solar system generation increased from 11 million MWh to 24 million MWh over that period.

Additionally, annual increases in solar generation typically lag annual increases in solar capacity, EIA noted. That is because solar projects are often completed late in the year, leaving little time to contribute to annual generation. In 2017, for example, 21 percent of all solar additions in the year occurred in December.

EIA reported that hydro and wind continue to be the biggest generators of renewable energy. Those sources respectively generated 300 million MWh and 254 million MWh in 2017.