Federal data reveals a surprising drop in renewable power in 2023, as slow winds and drought took a toll
U.S. utility-scale renewable electricity generation fell in 2023 due to weather patterns that reduced output from wind farms and drought that affected hydropower. Data released by the Energy Information Administration shows a decrease of 0.8 percent compared to the prior year. This is a stunning result, considering that utility-scale renewables have been a fast-growing part of the electricity mix and are a crucial resource for the country’s transition away from fossil fuels. … Hydropower plants generated 239,855 gigawatt-hours, down 5.9 percent from 2022. The main reason for the decrease was a drop in water levels at hydroelectric dams in areas experiencing drought.