The June 2012 Electric Power Monthly from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has power consumption by fuel type comparing 2011 and 2012 year to date through April.
Net Generation (thousand megawatthours)
Fuel 2012 2011 (%change)
Coal ……………………………………444,909 568,288 (-21.7%)
Natural Gas ………………………… 371,095 277,007 (34.0%)
Nuclear ……………………………….253,833 257,741 (-1.5%)
Hydroelectric Conventional …………97,781 114,201 (-14.4%)
Other Renewables ……………………75,432 66,317 (13.7%)
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic ……….714 386 (85.2%)
Wind …………………………………….51,034 42,172 (21.0%)
All Energy Sources……………… 1,256,851 1,299,292 (-3.3%)
What this shows is that the amount of power generated from coal is nearly 22% less year to date April 2012 compared to year to date April 2011 while power generated from natural gas is up 34%. One of the reasons is the dramatic drop in the price of natural gas to a price comparable to coal.
($/million Btu)
April 2012 April 2011
Coal…………..$2.44 $2.39
Natural gas….$2.74 $4.85
According to the EIA report, for January to May 2012, more then twice as much generating capacity was added, mostly wind, solar, and natural gas, than was retired. None of the new capacity and most of the retired capacity was coal.
New generating units………5,627.1 MW (none coal-fired)
Retired generating units…..2,776.7 MW (1,635.5 MW coal)
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