Electricity generation from wind established a new record in the United States in April, and wind generation exceeded coal-fired generation in both March and April, as data from the US Energy Information Administration’s July 2024 ‘Monthly Energy Review’ shows.

US wind generation exceeded coal-fired generation for the first time in April 2023 but did not do so again until 11 months later – this past spring was the first time US wind generation exceeded coal-fired generation for two months in a row. Wind power generally produces the most electricity in the springtime in the USA.

Wind installations produced 45.9 GWh in March 2024, compared to 38.4 GWh from coal-fired plants, which in April fell to 37.2 GWh. Wind generation, meanwhile, increased to a record 47.7 GWh. However, during the first four months of 2024, the total of coal-fired generation was 15% higher than that from wind.

Recent electricity generation from coal and wind is very different to that of 20 years ago. In March 2004, coal-fired generation produced 154.3 GWh of electricity, while wind produced 1.3 GWh.

Installed wind generating capacity has increased substantially in the USA over the last 25 years, growing from 2.4 GW in 2000 to 150.1 GW in April this year. And a substantial number of coal plants have retired in the same period, with total coal capacity falling from 315.1 GW in 2000 to 177.1 GW by April.

Other sources of electricity generation have also increased during the time that coal-fired generation has declined. Since 2000, electricity from solar power has increased by 99.1 GWh, and from natural gas, which is often more price competitive than coal in electricity market dispatch, has increased by 287.6 GWh. Following the record wind capacity additions of more than 14.0 GW in both 2020 and 2021, introduction of new U.S. wind facilities has slowed in the last two years. Operators expect 7.1 GW of wind capacity to come online in the US in 2024, according to EIA’s July ‘Monthly Energy Review’.

Following the retirement of 22.3 GW of coal-fired capacity over the past two years, operators plan to slow retirements in 2024, to 2.8 GW, again according to the EIA’s July Monthly Energy Review.