Solar power in Wyoming explained

Solar power in Wyoming has the potential to generate 72 million MWh/yr. Wyoming used 12 million MWh in 1999. Net metering is available to all consumers generating up to 25 kW.[1] The state has an installed capacity of 146 MW as of 2022.

Facilities

The dormitories near Old Faithful Geyser installed 30.78 kW of solar panels in 2015.[2]

The 92MW Sweetwater Solar project near Green River came online as the first utility-scale solar farm in Wyoming in December 2018.[3] [4] Additional projects are in advanced stages of development to be located near Kemmerer as the region's economy transitions from a scheduled closure of the Naugton coal plant.[5] [6]

The largest solar farm is the South Cheyenne Solar Facility in Laramie County at 150 MW.[7] Developers have proposed a 771 MW project near Cheyenne.[8]

Statistics

ImageSize = width:420 height:240PlotArea = width:350 height:150 left:40 bottom:40AlignBars = late

DateFormat = x.yPeriod = from:0 till:7TimeAxis = orientation:verticalScaleMajor = unit:month increment:1 start:0

TextData = pos:(15,220) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:hrs pos:(205,25) textcolor:black fontsize:S text:Month pos:(90,230) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:Casper Sun Hours/day (Avg = 5.40 hrs/day)

Colors = id:yellow value:yellow

PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black bar:Jan color:yellow from:0 till:4.16 text:4.16 shift:(-10,50) bar:Feb color:yellow from:0 till:4.68 text:4.68 shift:(-10,55) bar:Mar color:yellow from:0 till:5.51 text:5.51 shift:(-10,65) bar:Apr color:yellow from:0 till:5.84 text:5.84 shift:(-10,70) bar:May color:yellow from:0 till:5.88 text:5.88 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jun color:yellow from:0 till:6.29 text:6.29 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jul color:yellow from:0 till:6.38 text:6.38 shift:(-10,75) bar:Aug color:yellow from:0 till:6.82 text:6.82 shift:(-10,80) bar:Sep color:yellow from:0 till:6.26 text:6.26 shift:(-10,70) bar:Oct color:yellow from:0 till:5.47 text:5.47 shift:(-10,65) bar:Nov color:yellow from:0 till:3.99 text:3.99 shift:(-10,50) bar:Dec color:yellow from:0 till:3.50 text:3.50 shift:(-10,45)

Source: NREL[9]

Wyoming Grid-Connected PV Capacity (MW)[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
YearCapacityChange% Change
2009 0.1
2010 0.2 0.1 100%
2011 0.2 <0.1 0%
2012 0.6 0.4 200%
2013 1.0 0.4 66%
2014 1.2 0.2 20%
2015 1.5 0.3 25%
2016 1.9 0.4 26%
2017 2.3 0.4 21%
2018 112.3 110 4,782%
2019 117.6 5.3 4%
2020 140 22.4 19%
2021 141.9 1.9 %
2022 146 4.1 %
Utility-scale solar generation in Wyoming (GWh)[16]
YearTotalJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2018 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2019 1797 9 16 16 19 23 23 22 17 14 8 5
2020 1668 13 15 20 21 20 9 18 15 11 9 7
2021 1358 11 15 19 21 21 21 19

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://programs.dsireusa.org/system/program/detail/553 Wyoming - Net Metering
  2. Web site: Wyoming Solar Power - Yellowstone Park. 2016. OnSite Energy. 2020-01-28.
  3. Web site: Wyoming - Rock Springs FO - Sweetwater Solar Energy Project. 2018-04-05. Bureau of Land Management. 2020-01-28.
  4. Web site: With another solar development in the wings, is a new renewable coming for Wyoming?. Richards. Heather. 2019-02-18. Casper Star-Tribune Online. en. 2020-01-28.
  5. Web site: Solar farms sprout in southwest Wyoming . Rocket-Miner . Mike Koshmrl, Jackson Hole News & Guide . en . 2019-01-29 . 2021-01-21.
  6. Web site: Solar farm proposed as coal unit blinks out in Kemmerer. Richards. Heather. January 31, 2019. Casper Star-Tribune Online. en. 2020-01-28.
  7. Web site: Power . Southern . Southern Power's South Cheyenne Solar Facility in Wyoming is now operational . 2024-05-18 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  8. Web site: Edwards . Joe . 2024-05-17 . Satellite image shows plans for vast new solar farm in US . 2024-05-18 . Newsweek . en.
  9. Web site: PV Watts. NREL. 26 May 2012.
  10. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011. 17. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). August 2012. 2012-08-16. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf. 2012-09-06.
  11. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). June 2011. 2011-06-29.
  12. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009. Sherwood, Larry. Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). July 2010. 2010-07-28. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100925184512/http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf. 2010-09-25.
  13. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2009 . 16 . 2010-07-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf . 2009-11-23 .
  14. Web site: U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012 . Sherwood . Larry . Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) . July 2012 . 16 . 2013-10-11.
  15. https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/wyoming-solar Wyoming Solar
  16. Web site: Electricity Data Browser. U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. October 11, 2021.