Coal, Wind, Solar Power Generation Up Through September

The State Journal
27 December 2013

Electric power generation from natural gas and conventional hydroelectricity were down in the first nine months of the year, while power from coal, nuclear, solar and wind generation was up.

Numbers released by the Energy Information Administration earlier this month showed that about 6.4 million kilowatt hour of power had been generated by solar and voltaic generators through September. That was more than double than what was generated through September 2012, and it was more than any other full year for which records have been kept.

All numbers are national totals. State-by-state numbers were not released.

Coal-powered sources generated about 1.2 billion kWh through September, an increase from 1.1 billion in 2012 but still down from 1.35 billion in the first three quarters of 2011.

Natural gas provided slightly less than 854 million kWh through September, down from 979 million in the first three quarters of 2012 but still more than the 773.3 million in 2011. Wind-powered generation was up, from 102 million kWh last year to about 124 million this year.

Hydropower generation was down, from 218 million kWh last year to about 212.5 million this year. And nuclear power increased, from 584 million kWh last year to about 589.6 million this year.