Renewable energy grew in the United States in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, like a 13-year-old boy over a summer vacation. American Clean Power’s (ACP) December 2024 Clean Power Quarterly Market Report found that Q3 brought year-to-date installations up to 29.6 gigawatts (GW), representing an 86% increase over the same period in 2023. According to ACP, the U.S. has deployed 294 GW of clean power capacity, enough energy to power 72 million American homes.
The news sets a record for the largest Q3 for clean energy in the U.S. It follows the record-setting second quarter (Q2) of 2024, which was the most significant Q2 in U.S. history, setting last year on the path to surpass 2023’s record for most clean power installed in a single year.
Photo Courtesy Total Energies
The report shows a surge in clean energy deployment, with 10.2 GW of new utility-scale clean power capacity coming online in Q3. This advancement surpasses 2023’s record third quarter by 78%.
Five states, including Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, and California, now have more than 10 GW of active clean energy capacity.
“American-made clean power is meeting the moment, providing the resources necessary to continue delivering affordable and reliable power to communities across the country,” John Hensley, ACP’s senior vice president of Markets and Policy Analysis, said in a press release.
Graphic Courtesy American Clean Energy
Solar energy deployment continues to grow throughout the U.S., with 6.3 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity added in Q3, bringing the total to nearly 20 GW. The total 2024 solar deployment is expected to exceed 40 GW, followed by annual installation volumes of at least 43 GW for the remainder of the decade.
According to ACP, TotalEnergies’ Danish Fields Solar was the largest utility-scale solar project brought online during Q3. The project, located in Matagorda County, Texas, has a 600-megawatt (MW) capacity and is paired with a 150 MW/225-megawatt-hour battery storage system that also became operational during the quarter. The company will deliver solar power to Saint-Gobain and TotalEnergies’ industrial facilities in the Gulf Coast.
Photo Courtesy Total Energies
Energy storage capacity also continues to expand nationwide. In Q3, the industry added 3.5 GW of new capacity, bringing the year-to-date total to 7.5 GW.
States across the country, such as Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi, have joined the list of top clean power installers for the first time.
The report found that land-based wind pipelines saw upward movement in Q3, increasing 3% from Q2 to 24.4 GW, and offshore wind also grew to 15.5 GW in Q3, up 3.3 GW from Q2. These gains follow the upward trend of the wind industry rebounding from a tough 2023 when several wind projects were canceled.
Photo Courtesy American Clean Power Association
“The record pace of clean power installations is delivering not only for the power grid but for the U.S. economy,” Hensley said. “The impacts of the industry’s investments are vast, keeping America competitive on the global economic stage and enhancing our energy and national security.”
