EIA: U.S. added 59.6 MW of bioenergy capacity in March

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently published the May issue of its Electric Power Monthly report. According to EIA data, the U.S. added 59.6 MW of bioenergy capacity in March, including 20 MW of capacity from wood and wood waste sources, 9 MW from landfill gas and 20.6 MW of capacity from other waste biomass sources.

Overall, the U.S. added 349.5 MW of renewable energy capacity in March. In addition to the 59.6 MW of biomass capacity, 51.5 MW of wind capacity was added, along with 238.4 MW of solar capacity. An estimated 16.9 MW of fossil fuel-based capacity was also added during the month, bringing total U.S. capacity additions to 370.4 MW across all sources.

Wood biomass was used to generate an estimated 3.57 million MWh of energy in March, up 6 percent from the same month last year. Other forms of biomass were used to generate approximately 1.63 million MWh of energy, down 4.7 percent from the same period of 2013. During the first three months of the year wood and wood-derived fuels were used to generate 10.48 million MWh of energy, up 5.5 percent from the previous year. During the same three-month period, other forms of biomass were used to generate 4.56 million MWh of energy, down 4.6 percent from the same period of 2013.

According to the EIA, total net generation in the U.S. during March was 331.6 million MWh, up 1.9 percent from March 2013. Residential retail prices averaged 12.26 cents per kWh, an increase of 5.7 percent when compared to the same period last year. Retail sales for the month were 299.76 million MWh, up 1.8 percent.