CASPER — Renewable energy’s standing in the nation’s electricity sector may eclipse coal’s as soon as next year.

Led by solar and wind, renewable generation could produce as much as 21.6% of the nation’s electricity by 2021 — beating out coal at 20.8%, according to new projections published last month by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In the meantime, coal consumption will decrease another 11% this year, the federal data agency predicted.

“That’s not a surprise,” University of Wyoming economist Rob Godby said in response to the data agency’s latest forecasts...