2019 Planned U.S. Utility-Scale Variable-Renewable & Combustion Electric Power Generation Additions & Retirements
Energy Information Administration - U.S. Department of Energy
Two nuclear powerplants to shut.
Coal-fired closure trend continues.
Natural gas turbine additions outweigh retirements.
Variable wind and solar PV to add capacity.
2019 Monthly U.S. Electric Power Generating Capacity Additions & Retirements — GigaWatts (GW)
U.S. Energy Information Administration chart
1 GigaWatt(GW) = 1,000 MegaWatts(MW) = 1,000,000 KiloWatts(KW)
2019 Comparison - U.S. Electric Power Generating Capacity Additions & Retirements
U.S. Energy Information Administration chart
Capacity additions planned for 2019 is triple planned retirements -- 24 GW adds compared to 8 GW retires. However, "capacity" rating is output when conditions are perfect.
Variable renewable electric energy sources are unable to generate electric energy continuously. No sun -- no solar PV electricity. No wind -- same result.
Combustion and nuclear electric generators may supply electricity continuously at or near rated maximum output, except during maintenance periods.
Therefore, variable renewable electric energy generating "new capacity" must be greater to replace retired combustion or nuclear generating capacity to achieve the same annual "energy" output.
Example
Solar-PV utility-scale Colorado. "Capacity Factor"= 25% annual (100% = full rated output 24/7/365 continuous, which is impossible for solar-PV).
Combustion powerplant (coal or natural gas) capacity factor up to 100% annual.
For each 1 MW of combustion electric power generating capacity retired, 4 MW of new solar-PV is required to generate the same electric energy annual output.