Wind Energy Publications

NREL researchers published this report showing that natural gas, wind, and solar photovoltaics (PV) make up the majority of projected future capacity additions across a wide range of scenarios. The report discusses four areas of recent and projected future change in the U.S. electricity sector:

• Prevalence of natural gas and renewables for meeting future power sector capacity demand
• Relative competitiveness of wind and PV
• Potential impacts of low-cost energy storage
• Impacts of nuclear power plant lifetimes on projected generation mixes.

As an addition to the report, the Standard Scenarios Results Viewer provides downloadable state-level capacity, generation, and other results. The Standard Scenarios rely on the recently updated Annual Technology Baseline, which provides detailed current cost and performance data from various authoritative sources—along with a range of projections—for both renewable and conventional electricity generation technologies. The Standard Scenarios show how these cost projections contribute to the evolution of the U.S. electricity sector.