U.S. developers install 3,800 MW of clean power in first quarter of 2021

According to the latest Clean Power Quarterly Market Report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP), American industry advanced clean energy in a big way during the first three months of 2021, adding nearly 40 percent more wind power than the first quarter of 2020.

That amounted to approximately 2,500 MW of new wind power, but other areas fared well, too. Solar rose by 1,200 MW and battery storage by another 100 MW, either pacing previous years or setting new records in their own right. Wind energy was the big winner, though, with development accounting for nearly triple the amount of wind added to the U.S. grid in the first quarter of 2019. These stemmed from 13 wind projects, 15 utility-scale solar projects, and two energy storage projects coming online.

“These numbers add up to one word: momentum. We are already exceeding the pace from the strongest previous year ever for clean power,” ACP CEO Heather Zichal said. “This trend will only grow when more closely aligned with smart policy in Washington.”

Leading the charge in the first quarter were Texas (791 MW), Oklahoma (555 MW), and California (519 MW). At the same time, the first wind project in federal waters came online over this period, bringing 12 MW to bear under the service of Dominion Energy. Another offshore wind farm, the massive 800 MW Vineyard Wind project, is scheduled to become the first utility-scale offshore wind project. It made major headway with the release of the final assessment from federal regulators.

With all of these additions, there is now more than 173,000 MW of clean power capacity operating in the United States, according to ACP figures. It is more than double the capacity available five years ago, and another 84,000 MW is in the pipeline at either the construction or advanced development stage.