Energy think tank says fossil fuels generated less than half the US electricity in first ever month.

According to Ember, an energy think tank, fossil fuels made up less than half of the U.S. electricity mix in March for the first time in history. This was due to a nearly quarter increase in wind and solar generation.

Why it's important

The U.S. electricity consumption will increase to

Record highs

The Energy Information Administration (EIA), citing the growing demand for data centers dedicated exclusively to artificial intelligence, forecasted last month that in 2025 or 2026, electricity consumption would increase by nearly 3% from its all-time peak of 2024.

The power consumption of data centers will increase.

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According to a study backed by the Department of Energy, a solar power plant could consume up to 12% of electricity in the United States by 2028.

NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum stated at a Houston conference last month that the company expects the demand for electricity to increase by 55% over the next two decades compared to the previous two decades.

By the Numbers

Ember, in an analysis of EIA hourly data, said that the electricity generated by fossil fuels (coal and natural gas) fell to 49.2%, from 57%, in March.

Renewable sources like wind and solar generated more power, reaching a record high in March of 83 Terawatt Hours (TWh), which is 24.4% of total electricity.

According to the EIA report, the electric power sector plans to add 32 gigawatts to solar generating capacity in 2019. This will lead to a 33% increase in solar production by 2025.

KEY QUOTE

The continued growth of wind and solar power will be the main driver for electricity generation growth, said Nicolas Fulghum.

(source: Reuters)