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Though pure fuel technology nonetheless gives extra electrical energy than another supply in California, electrical energy technology from pure fuel has decreased over the previous a number of years whereas technology from photo voltaic has elevated.
Based on knowledge from our Electrical Energy Month-to-month, electrical energy technology from January by means of August 2025 (the most recent knowledge in our October launch) was 140.9 billion kilowatthours (BkWh), 8% greater than the identical interval in 2020.
The technology progress in recent times has been pushed by photo voltaic. Photo voltaic technology by utility-scale energy crops in California totaled 40.3 BkWh within the first eight months of 2025, practically double the 22.0 BkWh over the identical interval in 2020. Within the first eight months of 2025, photo voltaic technology elevated 17%, or 5.9 BkWh, in contrast with the identical time interval in 2024.
Between January and August 2025, pure fuel equipped 45.5 BkWh of electrical energy, 18% lower than throughout the identical interval in 2020. Output elevated in 2021 because of drought-spurred decreased hydroelectric output, however pure fuel technology has fallen since then. The most important year-over-year drop occurred this 12 months, when pure fuel technology declined 9.5 BkWh, or 17%, in contrast with 2024.
In low-water years, the necessity for pure fuel technology can enhance. For instance, hydro output fell within the first eight months of 2021 to 10.3 BkWh, and pure fuel technology spiked to 63.5 BkWh.
Pure fuel technology decreases in the course of the center of the day when photo voltaic technology is highest. Throughout the noon hours (between midday and 5:00 p.m.) in Could and June, which have comparable cooling necessities, photo voltaic technology elevated from 10.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2020 to 18.8 GW in 2025, in line with the California Impartial System Operator (CAISO). CAISO modified its knowledge assortment methodology for pure fuel in December 2023, and knowledge posted previous to that aren’t comparable.
Notice: We didn’t embrace pure fuel knowledge for 2020 or 2022 as a result of CAISO modified its knowledge assortment methodology for pure fuel in December 2023 and knowledge sooner than that aren’t comparable with knowledge collected after that date.
Throughout peak night hours between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., technology from batteries charged by extra photo voltaic technology throughout noon rose from a median of lower than 1 GW in Could and June 2022 to 4.9 GW in 2025, displacing pure fuel technology throughout that interval. In 2025, the hourly knowledge present a lower in pure fuel technology in the course of the noon hours, when photo voltaic technology is at its peak.
Principal contributor: Andrew Iraola
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