2026年第1期：数据中心带动美国配电投资，清洁能源装机亟需扩容

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The U.S. electricity system is undergoing a significant transition, with natural gas becoming the dominant fuel source, accounting for approximately 43% of total generation capacity by 2024, while renewable energy sources are rapidly increasing their share, projected to reach 24% by 2025 [2][8][9] - The demand for electricity is expected to rise significantly due to the growth of data centers and electric vehicles, with projections indicating that data centers could consume between 325 billion to 580 billion kilowatt-hours by 2028, representing 6.7% to 12.0% of total U.S. electricity consumption [2][36] - The report highlights the challenges faced by the electricity sector, including aging infrastructure, the need for modernization, and the impact of fluctuating fuel prices on electricity costs [6][28][31] Summary by Sections 1. Overview of the U.S. Electricity System - The U.S. electricity generation is primarily sourced from fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewable energy, with natural gas leading at 41.2% of the generation mix in the first ten months of 2025 [5] - The renewable energy share has increased significantly, providing approximately 23.9% of electricity in the same period, with wind and solar being the largest contributors [5][9] 2. Supply and Demand Dynamics - Natural gas generation capacity is projected to reach 571 GW by 2024, with a consumption increase of about 4% over three years [8] - Renewable energy is expected to dominate new capacity additions, with solar accounting for about half of the new installations in 2025 [9] - Coal's role in the energy mix is declining, with a projected consumption of 448 million short tons in 2025, but the retirement of coal plants is slowing due to rising electricity demand [10][11] 3. Electricity Pricing Trends - Historical electricity prices have shown a gradual increase, with nominal prices rising from approximately 8 cents per kilowatt-hour in the mid-1980s to about 13.5 cents by 2020 [27] - Recent trends indicate a more rapid increase in electricity prices, driven by rising capital expenditures for grid modernization and fluctuating fuel costs [28][31] - Future projections suggest a moderate increase in electricity prices over the next 5-10 years, influenced by demand growth from electrification trends and the need for substantial investments in infrastructure [33][35] 4. Data Center Electricity Consumption - Data centers have seen a dramatic increase in electricity consumption, rising from 76 billion kilowatt-hours in 2018 to approximately 176 billion kilowatt-hours in 2023, representing 4.4% of total U.S. electricity use [36] - The demand from AI-related data centers is expected to grow by 22% in 2025, with projections indicating a tripling of demand by 2030 [36]