Here comes the sun: Wind, solar power account for record 13% of U.S. energy in 2021

 Solar and wind energy last year grew at the fastest rate in U.S. history and now account for a record 13% of the nation's power generation, according to a report released Thursday.

Coming on the heels of Monday's grim United Nations report warning that humanity must act now to curb rising temperatures caused by the burning of fossil fuels, the new Sustainable Energy in America Factbook offered some good news about what already is being done.

Renewable energy production, predominantly from hydroelectric dams, solar arrays and wind turbines, grew more than 4% year-over-year in 2021. When nuclear energy is added, carbon-neutral energy sources met 40% of U.S. demand. 

As U.S. power generation becomes cleaner and more of it comes from renewable sources, power sector carbon emissions have been dropping steadily. Last year they were 35% below 2005 levels. 

Natural gas remains the largest single source of U.S. electricity generation, accounting for 38%. Power from coal-fired power plants rose slightly in 2021, to 22%. Yet despite that increase, coal's portion of the U.S. energy market is down 40% from 2011 as demand has weakened and aging coal plants have been retired...MORE