Colorado Wind+Solar Electric Energy: 2018 Combined

  • Utility-scale windturbine electric generators supplied 9-times more electric energy than solar sources in 2018.

  • Variable wind & solar monthly energy production was out-of-sync with ups-and-downs of Colorado consumers’ Spring & Summer demand.

Colorado Wind and Solar 2018 Electric Energy Production Compared

Colorado’s utility-scale solar electric energy sites generated 1,0897.3 gigaWatthours (GWhrs) in 2018. (Figure 1)

Utility-scale windpower sites supplied 9,795.5 GWhrs. (Figure 1)

- Notes -

The following are equal amounts of electric energy:

1 gigaWatthour
GWhr
1,000 megaWatthours
MWhrs
1,000,000 kiloWatthours
KWhrs

Figure 1: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

Wind and Solar Electric Energy Monthly Comparison:
Colorado 2018

Windturbines generated the most electric energy in Winter and Spring. A reduction in February 2018 may be due to fewer days in the month. (Figure 2)

Wind turbine electric energy - highest months

  1. December
    1,026.4 GWhr

  2. March
    997.9 GWhr

  3. April
    989.9 GWhr

Solar electric generating sites performed best in Summer months. (Figure 2)

Solar electric energy - highest months

  1. June
    127.9 GWhr

  2. August
    113.1 GWhr

  3. July
    112.2 GWhr

Figure 2: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

Wind+Solar and Total Power Supply: Colorado 2018 - Monthly

Wind and solar electric energy generating sources supplied about one-fourth of Colorado utility consumers’ needs in April 2018, when 12-month electric energy consumption was least and wind/solar combined production was greatest (Figures 3 & 4):

April

  • 4,063 GWhr total supply

  • 1,092 GWhr wind/solar

Combined wind and solar electric energy output declined in July. In the same month, total power supply generated from all sources to meet Colorado consumers’ needs reached annual maximum. July solar/wind energy combined production supplied only one-seventh of the total Colorado power requirement (Figures 3 & 4).

July

  • 5,494 GWhr total supply

  • 773 GWhr wind/solar

Figure 3: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

Figure 4: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

How much more solar electric energy is needed to equal windpower?

If Colorado’s 2018 utility-scale solar electric energy supply is increased to nine-times actual, annual solar electric energy nearly equals wind electric energy (Figure 5).

  • Wind energy
    9,795.5 GWhr

  • 9X Solar
    9,758.7 GWhr

Figure 5: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

Will a big increase in solar electric sync-up with July maximum consumers’ needs?

More solar energy generating sites would have reduced the load on fossil-fuel power generation, but not solve the wind/solar July dip. (Figure 6: Wind + 9X Solar - gray line).

In April, when consumers’ electric power demand is lowest, Wind + 9X Solar electric energy combination in a balanced wind/solar power scenario grows to nearly half of the month’s power supply requirement.

 

Figure 6: Linecurrents chart, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. Tap/click to enlarge.

Colorado, solar energy, trends, windpowerAllyn SvobodaColorado renewable energy, solar energy, wind energy, windpower