The United States achieved remarkable progress in renewable energy generation in 2023, consolidating its position as a benchmark in the transition to more sustainable energy generation. According to the Renewable Energy Statistics 2024 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the US reached an installed capacity of 387,549 MW of renewables, an increase of 9% over the previous year and a substantial growth since 2014, up 114%, when capacity was 180,970 MW.
The wind sector has been crucial in this progress. In 2023, wind power generation capacity in the US reached 148,020 MW, of which 147,979 MW came from onshore wind and 41 MW from offshore wind. Last year’s wind output grew by 4% over the figure reached in 2022 (141,674 MW) and evidences a significant increase since 2014, up 130%, when wind capacity was 64,430 MW.
US growth in solar power generation has also seen remarkable development. In 2023, the country’s installed solar capacity will reach 139,205 MW, an increase of 22% over the 114,361 MW reached in 2022. This growth rises to 669% if we compare last year’s figure with the 18,112 MW generated in the country in 2014.
Specifically, in the field of solar energy, photovoltaic power generated 137,725 MW in the USA in 2023, 22% more than the 11,881 MW achieved in 2022 and no less than 737% more than the figure achieved a decade ago: 16,445 MW.
Globally, the United States has played an important role in the increase of renewable capacity worldwide, which in 2023 amounted to 3,869,705 MW. This development not only underlines the relevance of the US in North America, but also its significant impact internationally.
And the outlook is encouraging. According to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook report, the EIA forecasts that wind and solar will lead the growth of electricity generation in the US over the next two years. As a result of new solar projects coming online, the EIA expects solar power generation to reach 286 billion kWh by 2025 and wind power generation to reach 476 billion kWh.
