These values reflect reported additions and retirements, not model projections. This year, as is the case in many years, expected capacity additions in December are much higher than in any other month. This typically happens because of the expiration of federal, state, or local tax credits on December 31, or because of how respondents complete the survey. Many projects expected to begin operation sometime in 2016 are conservatively estimated for a December completion date.
Solar. Planned utility-scale solar additions total 9.5 GW in 2016, the most of any single energy source. This level of additions is substantially higher than the 3.1 GW of solar added in 2015 and would be more than the total solar installations for the past three years combined (9.4 GW during 2013-15). The top five states where solar capacity is being added are California (3.9 GW), North Carolina (1.1 GW), Nevada (0.9 GW), Texas (0.7 GW), and Georgia (0.7 GW). These values reflect utility-scale solar capacity additions, and do not include any distributed generation (i.e., rooftop solar). In 2015, 8.4 GW of distributed solar photovoltaic capacity was added. The same federal tax credit incentives for distributed solar installations available in 2015 are available in 2016.
Natural gas. Most capacity additions over the past 20 years have been natural gas-fired units. About 8 GW is expected to be added this year, slightly above the 7.8 GW average annual additions over the previous five years. Four states plan to add more than 1 GW of natural gas-fired capacity this year: Pennsylvania (1.6 GW), Virginia (1.4 GW), Florida (1.3 GW), and Texas (1.1 GW).
Wind. Additions of wind capacity are expected to be slightly lower than in 2015, when 8.1 GW of wind made up by far the largest portion of 2015 capacity additions. Wind capacity additions in 2016 are expected to total 6.8 GW. Most wind additions are found in the Plains region between the Dakotas and Minnesota, south to Texas and eastern New Mexico.
Nuclear. Tennessee Valley Authority's Watts Bar 2 nuclear facility in southeastern Tennessee, with a summer nameplate capacity of 1.1 GW, is expected to begin commercial operation in June 2016. When Watts Bar 2 comes online, it will be the first new nuclear reactor brought online in the United States in 20 years. The most recent reactor to come online was Watts Bar 1 in May 1996.
ALBANY, New York, March 03, 2016: Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a research study on the global nuclear turbine generators market estimating it to report an impressive CAGR of 12.0% during the period from 2014 to 2020 and reach US$15.61 billion by the end of the forecast period. The market report, titled “Nuclear Turbine Generator Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 – 2020”, states that the worldwide nuclear turbine generator market had reached a value of US$7.0 billion in 2013.
According to the report, the rising demand for energy is the key factor driving the global nuclear turbine generator market substantially. The increasing focus of economies on the expansion of their nuclear power capabilities has triggered the installation of new nuclear reactors, stimulating the demand for nuclear turbines and nuclear generators in the global arena. However, the anti-nuclear energy policy, followed by several countries, is hampering the growth of this market to a significant extent. The negative public opinion over the development of nuclear power after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is also anticipated to limit this market, states the report.
The report analyzes the global market for nuclear turbine generators on the basis of product and its regional distribution. Based on product, the markets for nuclear turbines and nuclear generators are the main segments of the global market. The rise in the installation of new nuclear reactors across the world has propelled the demand for nuclear turbines in the global arena. Currently, there are approximately 435 operational nuclear reactors around the world, whereas the installation of 71 new nuclear reactors is just round the corner, notes the study.
On the regional front, the report segments the global nuclear turbine generator market into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World. Of these, Europe has emerged as the leading regional market. Analysts anticipate this market to exhibit a significant growth rate over the forecast period owing to the expected installation of new nuclear turbine generators, especially in Russia.
Asia Pacific holds the second position in this market and is closely followed by North America. The increasing installation of new nuclear turbine generators in India, South Korea, and China is stimulating the Asia Pacific nuclear turbine generators market significantly.
North America has also shown impressive growth in the global market for nuclear turbine generators in recent times. At present, the U.S. leads the North America nuclear turbine generators market in terms of demand. However, the decline in gas prices has negatively impacted some of the existing as well as new nuclear turbine generator projects in North America, causing the market’s growth to plummet, says the study.
The global market for nuclear turbine generators is concentrated in nature. Some of the major players operating in this market are Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC, Toshiba Corp., The Babcock & Wilcox Co., OJSC Power Machines, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Hitachi Ltd., General Electric, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd., Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., and Alstom Power, states the research report.