ERCOT solar generation output doubles, continues to have most US wind output

摘要

Solar generation output doubled in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas in fourth quarter 2020 to 21.6 GWh, as Southwest Power Pool had the biggest change in its fuel mix as total renewables jumped 13 percentage points from Q3 to nearly 40% of the total fuel mix for Q4. The Bonneville Power Administration continues to have the most total renewables market share at 80.3% of its total fuel mix, up 4.4 percentage points year on year, thanks to hydro generation that accounts for 72.5% of the fuel mix, according to BPA data. Texas leads the nation in total renewable capacity, including wind, solar and battery energy, at 38.573 GW in Q4, thanks to 33.133 GW in installed wind capacity, according to the American Clean Power Q4 2020 market report. Texas also has 5.3 GW of solar capacity and 134 MW of battery storage, both second in the US. ERCOT has the most wind output among the nation’s grid operators at 252.4 GWh in Q4, up 17% year on year, according to ERCOT data. The grid operator also leads in total renewable output for Q4 at 274,597 GWh, an increase of nearly 21% from Q4 2020.