Latest news with #Cleanview
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
US clean energy capacity growth gets slower but wider in 2025
LITTLETON, Colorado, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The pace of new capacity of U.S. solar, wind and battery systems has slowed nationally and in key states this year, hurting clean energy sector sentiment. But climate trackers can take heart from the continued growth outside Texas and California. Combined installations of solar, wind and battery storage systems are on track to climb by around 7% in 2025 from the year before, according to data compiled by energy data platform Cleanview as of mid-2025. That would mark the smallest year-over-year percentage expansion in the footprint of those energy technologies in over a decade, and comes amid aggressive cuts to support for clean power since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office. Climate advocates are particularly alarmed by the slowing in capacity growth in Texas and California, which account for over a third of national combined clean energy capacity but have grown by less than the national average this year. But while there's plenty for clean energy trackers to be concerned about, there are signs that expansions continue outside of the main clean energy states to suggest the U.S. energy transition may be widening even as it slows in 2025. Solar power capacity has been the fastest-growing form of clean power generation over the past five years, with national capacity expanding by 181% since 2020 to roughly 136,250 megawatts (MW) as of mid 2025, Cleanview data shows. Total U.S. solar capacity has grown by an annual average of 27% since 2020, but so far in 2025 has only grown by 10% from 2024's total due to the sharp slowdown in developer activity. The growth pace of the combined solar installations in California and Texas - the top two solar producing states - was 8% so far in 2025, and so was less than the national average due mainly to the lowest capacity growth in California on record. Capacity growth in Florida, Nevada, Georgia and Virginia - all top 10 solar states - was also well below the national average. However, Arizona, Ohio and Indiana, which are also in the top 10 list, posted growth rates of well over twice the national average to sustain the overall national growth trend. Wind power capacity growth has been slowing steadily in recent years due to cost increases for parts and labour, as well as difficulties in securing new suitable sites for wind farms. Even so, the 1.8% expansion in total U.S. wind capacity so far this year is the smallest annual increase in the U.S. wind power footprint since at least 2010. Among the 10 largest wind power producing states, only Texas (+2.1%) and Illinois (+4.5%) recorded growth in excess of the national average this year, while seven of the top ten states have so far recorded no increase in capacity versus 2024 at all. That said, states outside the 10 largest wind power producers have expanded capacity by 3% so far this year from 2024's total, which is helping the national total tick higher even as the core wind states tread water. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have been the fastest-growing segment of the clean energy space in recent years, and continue to expand at a faster pace than wind and solar farms in 2025. Total installed utility-scale BESS capacity was 33,212 MW as of mid-2025, Cleanview data shows, which is up 22% from 2024's total. Again, California and Texas have posted growth rates below the national average so far in 2025, of 11% and 14% respectively. However, Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts and Idaho - all top 10 states for battery capacity - have registered capacity increases of far more than the national average. And with federal support for battery systems still available under the Trump administration even as incentives for solar and wind power are slashed, batteries look set to remain the leading growth driver of U.S. clean energy capacity going forward. Combined capacity of solar, wind and battery systems hit 325,700 MW as of mid-2025, which marks a 7% or 20,700 MW rise from a year ago. Among the 10 largest states by combined solar, wind and battery capacity, Texas brought on the largest volume, with a 5,250 MW rise, followed by Arizona, California and Indiana. Florida and Illinois also increased their overall clean energy footprints, mainly through battery systems, and look set to remain attractive markets for battery developers going forward given the need for local utilities to ease grid strain. Batteries will also remain in high demand in areas with large volumes of surplus solar generation that utilities want to harness for use during peak consumption periods. That suggests even if the roll-out of new solar and wind capacity remains stunted as the federal support gets phased out, the overall footprint of clean technology looks set to keep rising as more batteries take root. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X, opens new tab.
Reuters
06-08-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US solar capacity slowed but not stopped by Trump policy u-turn
LITTLETON, Colorado, Aug 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's scrapping of subsidies and tax breaks for renewable energy developers has stalled but not derailed solar power capacity growth across the United States. Through the opening half of 2025, installed capacity of utility-scale solar systems has expanded by around 10% from the year before, data from energy data portal Cleanview shows. That expansion pace is well down from the 33% increase in 2024 and an average annual growth rate of 29% since 2015. However, given the strong anti-renewables stance by the Trump administration and the resulting policy uncertainty for power developers, the fact that capacity still climbed this year will be viewed as a win for clean energy advocates. What's more, with federal tax credits for solar systems to be cut from 2026, power developers are likely to accelerate the pace of solar system roll-outs before the end of the year, which could boost the overall annual growth rate. Below is a breakdown of the key national and state-level trends within the U.S. solar market as of mid-2025. While overall national growth has been around 10% so far in 2025, there's a wide variance in the expansion rates across key states. Texas, the largest state for solar capacity, has recorded a robust 14% swell in its utility-scale solar footprint so far in 2025, which has underpinned hopes that solar demand will remain solid despite the gutting of federal support. However, California - the number two solar market and historically a leader in clean energy deployment - registered only a 2% increase in solar capacity so far in 2025. As California's solar capacity grew by an average of 13% a year since 2020, the sharp slowdown posted by such a key market in 2025 has shocked solar advocates, and stoked worries about a nationwide collapse in solar system demand going forward. The data on solar uptake in Florida, the third-largest solar market, is also worrying for the solar sector. The year-to-date expansion statistics don't look too bad at first glance: capacity has swelled by 8% from a year ago to a record of just under 12,000 megawatts. However, zero utility-scale capacity additions have been recorded since January, which indicates that work by utilities to expand solar power output in the Sunshine State may have stopped completely since Trump retook office. Work has also come to a near standstill in North Carolina and Nevada - both top 10 states in terms of solar capacity - as well as in New Mexico, which ranks 15th in solar capacity. Somewhat offsetting the gloomy tone elsewhere has been the continued progress recorded in Arizona - the fifth-largest solar producing state - which has recorded a 24% rise in utility solar capacity from a year ago. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Ohio and Indiana have also posted capacity growth rates far above the national average, which indicates that solar growth has far from stopped completely. And with solar system producers now motivated to seal deals ahead of the cut-off to federal subsidies at the end of the year, further expansions in solar capacity at utilities and for residences can be expected in the coming months. That should help further lift the overall growth rate of solar capacity across the country despite the drastic slashing of federal subsidies and tax breaks that may loom beyond 2025. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X, opens new tab.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. Utility-Scale Battery Storage Has Surged 15-Fold Since 2020
For years, battery systems have only played a marginal role in U.S. electricity networks, with power utilities focusing more on building out capacity from natural gas plants and renewable energy sources. According to energy data portal Cleanview, five years ago, the United States had 74 times more wind farm capacity and 30 times more solar capacity than battery capacity within its power generation system. However, steady cost declines coupled with rising energy density levels have encouraged utilities to ramp up their battery installations, with battery storage output now exceeding other power sources in certain power markets. And, it's boom time for the U.S. utility-scale battery storage market: currently, there are only around 5 times more solar and wind capacity in the country compared to battery capacity, thanks in large part to a 40% decline in battery prices since 2022. Currently, 19 states have installed 100 MW or more of utility-scale battery storage. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration According to Cleanview, there are just under 30,000 megawatts (MW) of utility battery capacity across the U.S., good for a massive 15-fold increase since 2020. For some context, the U.S. solar sector has added 84,200 MW over the timeframe, while the wind sector has increased its capacity by just 7,000 MW. Falling costs are the biggest reason for the surge in U.S. battery deployments: according to financial advisory and asset management firm Lazard the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility-scale solar farms paired with batteries ranges from $50-$131 per megawatt hour (MWh). This makes the pair competitive with new natural gas peaking plants (LCOE of $47 to $170 per MWH) and even new coal-fired plants with LCOE of $114 per to Lazard's 2025 LCOE+ report, new-build renewable energy power plants are the most competitive form of power generation on an unsubsidized basis (i.e., without tax subsidies). This is highly significant in the current era of unprecedented power demand growth in large part due to the AI boom and clean energy manufacturing. Renewables also stand out as the quickest-to-deploy generation resource, with the solar plus battery combination often boasting far shorter deployment times compared to constructing new natural gas power plants. Source: Lazard That said, growth in the U.S. utility-scale battery storage deployments has not been uniform. California is, by far, the national leader in utility-scale battery storage, accounting for ~13,000 MW or about 42% of the national total. According to the California Energy Commission, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has installed ~21,000 MW of solar capacity and ~12,400 MW of battery capacity, allowing the state to rely heavily on batteries during peak demand periods. For instance, batteries supplied around 26% of CAISO's power output on June 19 between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m, surpassing natural gas which supplied 23%, according to electricity portal GridStatus. Texas' Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) comes in second with 8,200 MW of installed battery capacity. Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, have also been recording rapid growth in installed battery capacity as they look to complement robust growth by their solar sectors. Battery Production Set To Decline Unfortunately, the U.S. battery manufacturing sector will not be in a position to take advantage of this explosive growth thanks to unfavorable policies under the Trump administration. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the 'big, beautiful bill', with its fate now hanging in the balance in the Senate ahead of Republicans' self-imposed July 4 deadline. The contentious legislation is designed to pay for tax cuts, extra spending on defense and immigration enforcement by leveraging deep cuts to clean energy credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). According to a recent analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation, the bill could slash U.S. battery production by ~75% by 2030 to 250 GWh from the previously projected 1,050 gigawatt-hours, and EV sales by 40%. According to the report, the bill will effectively eliminate 130,000 potential jobs in the EV sector by 2030, with the majority in battery manufacturing. Companies have announced a total of 128 U.S. facilities for battery manufacturing since former President Biden signed the IRA into law in 2022, with more than half yet to begin construction. Interestingly, Red and purple states including Texas, Michigan, Nevada, Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia, will be the most adversely impacted if the bill becomes law. By Alex Kimani for More Top Reads From this article on
Reuters
24-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US power sector battery storage momentum keeps charging on
DENVER, June 24 (Reuters) - Rapid growth in the installation of batteries is upending power systems across the United States, with battery-deployed electricity volumes scaling new records nearly every month. Steady cost declines combined with rising energy density levels are driving utilities to ramp up battery installations, and battery storage output now often exceeds all other power sources for key periods in certain electricity markets. Batteries are also stabilizing electricity networks by helping to control frequency and voltage levels, and by preventing grid overloads by storing excess solar power output and then discharging that power during peak consumption periods. Below are key trends to help track the continuing growth of battery systems within U.S. utility networks. Until recently, battery systems played only a tiny role within U.S. electricity networks, as utilities focused more on building out capacity from natural gas plants, solar and wind farms and other generation sources. In 2020, there was 30 times more solar capacity and 74 times more wind farm capacity than battery capacity within the U.S. generation system, according to energy data portal Cleanview. However, dramatic drops in the cost of battery systems - by as much as 40% a year since 2022 according to industry consultants - have helped drive uptake across several U.S. markets with large solar farm installations. As of April 2025, there was only around 5 times more solar and wind capacity in the U.S. than battery capacity, and battery capacity keeps climbing. Utility networks mainly use batteries to store surplus power generated from solar farms during the middle of the day - when system demand and power prices are typically at their lowest - and then discharge them when demand and prices rise. This solar plus battery combination allows utilities to avoid the need to throttle back output from across their network during the peak solar window, and to capture higher overall power prices by preventing the mid-day price dip. As of April 2025, there was just under 30,000 megawatts (MW) of utility battery capacity across the U.S., according to Cleanview. That total was over 28,000 MW more than was in place in 2020, and compares to solar power's growth of 84,200 MW and wind power's growth of 37,000 MW over that same period. Since 2022, utilities have installed more battery capacity than wind capacity, and are set to continue prioritizing the build-out of battery systems. As of April, there are 19 states with 100 MW or more of utility-scale battery storage. California is by far the top battery storage user, with around 13,000 MW in place, or about 42% of the national total. The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) is also the largest battery user among major U.S. electricity networks, and uses batteries to maximise the uptake and impact of its solar systems. The CAISO system has around 21,000 MW of solar capacity and about 12,400 MW of battery capacity, according to the California Energy Commission. That hefty battery capacity allows CAISO to use batteries as a key source of power during peak demand periods, particularly during the early evening when solar output drops off and household electricity demand picks up. Between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on June 19, batteries were CAISO's single largest source of electricity and accounted for roughly 26% of total electricity supplies during that period, according to electricity portal Natural gas was CAISO's next largest power source - accounting for around 23% of supplies, followed by wind and hydro. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the main electricity market for Texas, is a more recent adopter of battery systems, and in 2024 added more battery capacity than any other state. As of April, Texas had around 8,200 MW of installed battery capacity, which helped supply around 7% to 8% of ERCOT's total power during the evening of June 19, data shows. Other states rapidly expanding battery footprints include Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, which all also have growing volumes of utility-scale solar capacity which can be better harnessed when paired with battery systems. With battery prices widely expected to undergo further cost declines as vendors compete for business and new products are commercialized, more widespread uptake of battery systems is expected. A recent report by asset management firm Lazard pegged the so-called levelized cost of energy from utility-scale solar farms paired with batteries at between $50 and $131 per megawatt hour (MWh), depending on system scale. That compares to $47 to $170 per MWH for new natural gas peaking plants, around $24 to $39 per MWh for combined cycle gas plants, and up to $114 per MWh for new coal-fired plants. Given that the solar plus battery combination is often also far faster to deploy than constructing new power plants, the increasingly economical cost of batteries is expected to help them penetrate even less sunny areas going forward. That should ensure a steady widening in the deployment of battery systems across U.S. electricity networks in the years ahead. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X, opens new tab.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chart: Hundreds of gigawatts of clean energy at risk with GOP bill
See more from Canary Media's "Chart of the week' column. Amid rising power bills and surging energy demand, Republicans in Congress are set to undermine the country's primary source of new electricity — clean energy. The 'Big Beautiful Bill' passed in May by House Republicans and now being considered by the Senate would rapidly phase out key clean-energy tax credits, casting uncertainty over more than 600 gigawatts' worth of solar, battery, and wind projects slated to come online in 2028 or later, according to new analysis from research firm Cleanview. To be fair, the 600-GW figure is based on what's currently in the interconnection queue, and a good number of those projects won't get built regardless of the fate of the tax credits. (Projects often drop out of the queue for all kinds of reasons.) But if the bill kneecaps even a fraction of what's anticipated, it will have serious consequences for the U.S. energy system. For context, the entirety of the U.S. had a generating capacity of around 1,200 gigawatts at the end of 2023. The current version of the legislation would rapidly phase out federal tax credits that encourage clean energy development. As it stands, developers would be eligible for the tax credit only if their projects begin construction within 60 days of the bill's passage and if they come online before the end of 2028. That puts the 318 GW worth of projects planned to be completed in 2029 and later at explicit risk of losing their tax-credit eligibility. It also jeopardizes 2028 projects that either can't break ground with just two months' notice or which might hit snags that push their completion into 2029. That doesn't necessarily mean those projects would be cancelled, but it would scramble their economics, which were calculated under an entirely different set of policy assumptions. It's near certain that some would fall through. Many more would be delayed as developers hash out new financial terms — read: higher power prices that will be passed onto consumers. A slowdown in clean energy construction is the exact opposite of what the moment demands. These days, when a new energy project is built in the U.S., more than nine times out of 10 it is a solar, battery, or wind installation. That's not an exaggeration. In 2024, solar, batteries, and wind made up 93% of new energy resources. The year before that, it was 94%. Meanwhile, construction of new large-scale fossil-gas power plants is constrained by turbine shortages that are unlikely to ease in the near term. At the same time, electricity demand is surging and expected to climb even higher in coming years as the development of AI sets off a race to construct power-hungry data centers. If congressional Republicans pass a bill that stifles solar, batteries, and wind, study after study predicts the same outcome: higher energy bills — and more planet-warming emissions.
