ACP Report Shows Record-Breaking Quarter for Clean Energy Installations
Installations of renewable energy projects hit 19 GW of generation capacity through the first half of 2024, more than double the five-year average for that time period, according to a report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP).
The ACP on September 5 released its “Clean Power Quarterly Market Report | Q2 2024,” and said the data shows “extraordinary growth and milestones across the U.S. clean power landscape.” The group said that “In a record-breaking second quarter, U.S. developers added 11 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale clean power capacity, marking a 91% increase from Q2 2023.”
The group said the second half of most years is typically stronger than the first half for additions of clean energy projects, saying “the stage is set for a second consecutive record-breaking year in 2024.” ACP’s report said more than 283 GW of renewable energy, including energy storage, is now operational across the U.S.
“Clean energy is answering the call to unleash more American energy, with another record quarter of deployment,” said ACP CEO Jason Grumet. “While all clean energy technologies are expanding their market share, energy storage is scaling at a stunning speed and has surpassed 20 GW of operating capacity.”
Grumet added, “With rapidly growing demand and the need to make significant strides in decarbonizing our economy, the stakes are high. Our recent progress is encouraging, but we are not moving fast enough. ACP is committed to working with all stakeholders and policymakers to accelerate progress toward a secure, reliable, and clean energy future.”
The report was released just days before the start of RE+, the clean energy sector’s largest trade show. POWER is a partner with RE+, and for a third year has published a supplement to the event. This year’s RE+ is set for September 9 through 12 in Anaheim, California.
Report Highlights
ACP highlighted several data points in its report. The group said developers added more than 11 GW of new utility-scale solar, storage, and wind power capacity in the second quarter, 91% more than what was installed during the same period in 2023.
The group noted that Texas for the first time surpassed California as the nation’s leading state for utility-scale solar capacity. Texas added 1,656 MW of solar power capacity in the April-June period; ACP said the state now has 21,932 MW of operating solar power.
The U.S. energy storage sector surpassed 20 GW of total operational capacity, adding 2.9 GW in the second quarter reach a total of 21.6 GW.
ACP’s report shows that annual growth in the clean power pipeline rose by 13% from 2023. It also noted that “significant expansions [are] expected in offshore wind in the coming months,” after a second quarter that saw more than 4 GW of capacity under construction.
Onshore wind also continues its upward trajectory, with 5.5 GW more onshore wind projects under construction at mid-year than at the same point in 2023. The total generation capacity of onshore wind under construction across the U.S. is more than 14 GW, according to the group.
—Darrell Proctor is senior editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).