Report examines electricity generation sources

The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts natural gas and wind power will become the fastest-growing sources of domestic electricity generation.

The analysis showed natural-gas fired electricity generation would increase by 6 percent in 2019 and by 2 percent next year while generation from wind power will increase by 6 percent this year and by 14 percent in 2020.

Trends vary widely among the regions of the country, according to the breakdown, noting growth in natural gas generation is highest in the mid-Atlantic region and growth in wind generation is highest in Texas.

The EIA expects coal-fired electricity generation to decline nationwide, dropping by 15 percent this year and 9 percent in 2020.

Mid-Atlantic region analysis showed the electricity industry has added more than 12 gigawatts (GW) of new natural gas-fired generating capacity since the beginning of 2018, representing an increase of 17 percent.

Wind power has been the fastest-growing source of electricity in recent years in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region serving most of the state.

Since early 2018, the industry has added 3 GW of wind generating capacity and plans to add another 7 GW before the end of 2020. The additions would result in an increase of nearly 50 percent from the 2017 wind capacity level in ERCOT. EIA expects wind to supply 20 percent of ERCOT total generation this year and 24 percent in 2020.