The world’s energy mix has evolved substantially over the past 20 years. Since 1997, global cumulative installed solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power have climbed from less than 8 GW to nearly 800 GW, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewables were responsible for almost 165 GW of new global power capacity in 2016—nearly two-thirds of the global total. The U.S. has been a leader in this transition. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) “Energy Infrastructure Update” (EIU), renewable power sources accounted for half (49.9 percent) of the 24.6 gigawatts (GW) of new U.S. electrical generating capacity placed into service in 2017. Nearly all of the rest, 48.7 percent, was new natural gas capacity. At the end of 2017, all renewables (including hydropower) accounted for more 20 percent of the nation’s installed generating capacity — up from 15.4 percent in 2021. Renewables accounted for 17.6 percent of total electrical generation in 2017, compared to 15.3 percent in 2016. The discrepancy between the 20 percent installed capacity and 17.6 percent of generation is attributable to the intermittency of renewable sources.
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