New Gas-Fired Generation Capacity on the Horizon

According to recent research, up to 32 GW of new natural gas-fired generation capacity could be online by 2025.  Renewable energy gets most of the press, but information like this suggests that natural gas is not going away any time soon.

Two Forecasts for New Gas-Fired Generation Projects

One set of research, produced by Colorado-based BTU Analytics, claims that projects totaling 32 GW of new natural gas capacity are all in advanced stages of development.  Specifically, according to BTU, approximately 18 GW are either under construction or in pre-construction, and about 15 GW are in the advanced-permitting stage.  The PJM region has the most activity, representing nearly 50% of BTU’s forecasted new capacity.

The other forecast that recently came out is from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which predicts that 27.3 GW of new gas-fired generation capacity will be brought online by 2025 (a 6% increase from the current total U.S. natural gas capacity of 489 GW).  The EIA expects most of the new gas-fired generation capacity to be developed in WV, PA and OH.  This is on top of the estimated 60 GW of new gas capacity that has already been brought online since 2014.

In either case, the future looks bright for gas.  And why not, I mean, leveraging gas fired generation capacity is a good practice for utilities.  It is extremely reliable, can be dispatched to meet peak demand periods, and of course, it’s cleaner than coal and oil.

And, all of this can only help emergency preparedness.  The greater the supply, the greater the reliability, which means fewer outages.  It may not move the needle as much as we would like, given that climate change is making weather more volatile and severe, but it can at least help stop or slow down the proverbial bleeding.

So, whether it’s new gas-fired generation capacity or new clean energy sources, the greater the supply, the better off we’ll all be.