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The American Clean Power Association (ACP) announced a significant milestone in the U.S. clean energy sector, revealing 2023 as the most prolific year for clean power installations to date. According to their latest Clean Power Annual Market Report, the industry witnessed the addition of 33.8 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale clean energy projects, marking a 12.5% increase over the previous record set in 2021. Solar and energy storage led this surge, with solar installations reaching 19.6 GW and energy storage capacity nearly doubling to 7.9 GW.
This expansion propelled the U.S. clean energy capacity to 262 GW, sufficient to power approximately 69 million American homes and contributing to 16% of the nation’s electricity generation from wind and solar. The ACP highlighted the nationwide reach of clean energy, present in 93% of congressional districts across all 50 states. The report also emphasized a burgeoning project pipeline, suggesting a robust future for clean energy development.
ACP CEO Jason Grumet praised the sector’s pivotal role in the American economy, attributing over 75% of new power in the last year to clean energy sources. Grumet also pointed to the economic potential of the 123 newly announced manufacturing facilities. However, he underscored the need for further advancements in regulatory processes to meet energy security and net-zero objectives.
The report detailed significant growth in utility-scale solar, led by Texas and California, and a notable rise in energy storage, primarily in California and Texas. Despite these achievements, the wind sector faced challenges, with a deceleration in wind power capacity additions.
The ACP remains optimistic about the future of clean power, noting the initiation of construction on 41 GW of new projects towards the end of 2023. This optimism is tempered by the acknowledgment that current installation rates must accelerate to achieve a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The full report, available to ACP members, delves into detailed market trends of the past year |
