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Gas shows its staying power as United States wind output slumps: Maguire

Power manufacturers in the United States are becoming increasingly dependent on gas for generation, even as the nation constructs out renewable energy capability at a record pace.

Renewable resource sources have actually been getting a progressively growing share of the power mix for many years, which has permitted power firms to cut coal-fired power and decrease emissions.

However due to the volatile nature of renewable energy streams, power firms have needed to increase using natural gas within power systems and stay heavily based on gas whenever renewable energy products drop off.

That high gas reliance was highlighted once again this month as wind generation plunged just as total power use climbed due to high temperatures and strong need for a/c.

ON THE HOOK

Power companies need to ensure supply meets demand by changing fuel blends as needed, and this month they had to offset a. steep drop in output from wind farms while likewise accommodating a. climb in overall power need due to higher use of cooling. systems across much of the country.

From July 1 to July 23, power generation from U.S. wind. farms stopped by 78% from 57,274 megawatt hours (MWh) to 12,608. MWh, data from LSEG shows.

Wind generation levels often plunge during the summertime due to. lower wind speeds at turbine level, but on July 23 the. production levels were the lowest for that date in more than. least three years.

To offset such a significant dip in tidy power supply, power. firms increased natural gas-fired generation by 27% over the same. period, from 217,617 MWh on July 1 to 276,453 MWh on July 23,. according to LSEG.

This steep climb in gas-fired generation pressed natural. gas's share of the national power generation mix to 46.3% so far. in July, from an average of 40% for the opening half of 2024.

But the greater gas-fired output likewise assisted lift total. generation levels by 3.4% on July 23 from July 1, making sure the. nationwide power system was able to meet elevated demand needs.

CRUCIAL POWER PILLAR

The ability of natural gas to speedily plug supply. deficiencies from other sources means the fuel will remain a. vital pillar of the U.S. power system for years to come,. regardless of continued fast development in renewable energy sources.

Gas supplied simply over 42% of U.S. electrical energy in. 2023, according to energy think tank Ember.

That was by far the largest single source of power in the. country and compared to 15.61% from combined wind and solar. sources, 16% from coal plants, 18.25% from nuclear plants and. around 6% from hydro dams.

With power firms committed to decreasing emissions, renewables. look set to grow their share of the national generation mix. while coal's share will decrease further.

But gas will stay the primary fuel source in a. bulk of key power systems throughout the U.S., and will likely. continue to broaden its share of the overall generation pie. before being gradually minimized in generation systems over the. coming decades. << The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a. columnist .>

(source: Reuters)