Wind, solar and battery storage power capacity tops 200 GW in U.S., major growth still needed for 2035 net zero goals

According to the 2021 Clean Power Annual Market Report from the American Clean Power Association, the United States installed 28.5 GW of renewable energy sources last year, bringing total clean U.S. power capacity over 200 GW – but delays and roadblocks leave a 2035 goal for a net zero emissions grid in doubt.

In all, 594 green energy projects went online in 2021. Clean power could now support more than 56 million homes. However, the ACP asserted that maintaining even last year’s massive project volume would bring the U.S. to just 35 percent of what it would need for a net zero grid by 2035.

“Despite recent growth trends, unrelenting challenges from the pandemic and global supply chain issues slowed clean power growth,” Heather Zichal, ACP CEO, said. “Roughly 10 gigawatts of clean power capacity originally expected online in 2021 were delayed because of various policy headwinds. Looking to 2022 and beyond, the uncertainty of tax credits for renewable energy projects, the availability of solar panels, supply chain issues, and inflation are all expected to have a concerning impact on our ability to deliver growth. Further, continued and arguably heightened uncertainty brought about by challenges to existing trade precedent like this year’s Department of Commerce inquiry into solar module tariffs are already taking a toll as we see projects canceled and delayed.”

Despite this, some 303 projects were under active construction at the end of 2021, with another 390 in advanced development. Clean power remained the dominating presence for new power capacity, bringing its share of the nation’s electricity to 13 percent. Yet transmission infrastructure to support it has been trending downward, with only 386 miles of transmission lines being built last year and another 5,000 miles planned by 2025. Without appropriate amounts of lines, all the new capacity might find itself hemmed in.

Breaking it down sector by sector, though, in terms of sheer numbers, wind carried the year in 2021, with 13,400 MW of new capacity installed even as land-based installations faced delay after delay. Wind remains the largest renewable power source on the grid, at 135,843 MW in total capacity. Solar nipped at its heels, though, with 12,433 MW of new capacity built – a 20 percent year-over-year growth, even though 6 GW of projects were delayed. Solar imports have been falling due to regulatory barriers, but total capacity in operation stands at 60,733 MW.

When looking at percentage gains, it was the year of the battery. Battery storage had its largest year to date, with the deployment of 2.7 GW – more than double the existing capacity. A total 4.7 GW are now in use across the United States.

These additions represented roughly $40.6 billion in investment, and since 2000, the clean energy industry has brought approximately $392 billion into the economy.