A recent report by the National Resources Defense Council, “A Tectonic Shift in America’s Energy Landscape,” documents the shift towards renewable sources of energy.
Among the findings:
- Electricity consumption grew at only half the rate of population growth from 2000 to 2014. This is attributable largely to huge efficiency contributions from utility programs and government efficiency standards.
- Over that same period, wind power production grew 33 fold, providing more than 4% of total US power generation in 2014.
- By mid-2015, solar power had exceeded 20,000 megawatts nationwide, with one-third of the total coming into service in just the past 12 months.
- Roughly 10% of the nation's energy supply came from renewable sources last year.
- America's power plants burned less coal in 2014 than in 1990, and the annual total is down more than 21% from the peak year of 2005. Since then, total emissions of carbon pollution from the energy sector are down 10%.
- In the transportation sector, U.S. oil use was slightly lower in 2014 than 1973, even though the economy tripled in size during that time. The fuel efficiency of America's auto fleet has grown by 25% in the past decade.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Sep 19, 2016
Brussels’ Botanic Center apartment block looks to live up to its name with the addition of 10,000 plants and a rooftop “Chrysalis”
The project, which has been commissioned and is in the design phase, would eliminate CO2 and produce its own energy.
Energy | Sep 13, 2016
Oberlin College to hold conference on post-fossil fuel economy
The gathering will address climate change and new sources of energy.
Sustainability | Aug 30, 2016
New federal project plans must include climate impacts
Agencies must quantify the specific impacts when possible.
Energy Efficiency | Aug 17, 2016
Investor Confidence Project aimed at raising trustworthiness on energy efficiency projects
The new initiative screens projects to see if they are investor-ready.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Jul 27, 2016
Metal Roofs Have Solar Advantage
A large roof can become a resource that saves significant money on energy consumption and helps reduce emissions of CO2 and it turns out metal roofs make excellent hosts for solar panels.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | Jul 8, 2016
Solar carports power Major League Soccer stadium in Utah
Wanting to capitalize on the abundant energy produced by the sun, the Real Salt Lake professional soccer club built carports in the parking lot using MBCI metal roofing with solar panels. The panels generate 73% of the stadium’s total power needs.
Energy Efficiency | Jun 13, 2016
The nation’s largest net zero-plus commercial building retrofit opens in L.A.
The goal of the Net Zero Plus Electrical Training Institute is for this structure to become a model for emergency operations centers for communities.
Sustainability | Jun 8, 2016
New program certifies the performance of existing buildings in the U.S.
BREEAM USA, an offshoot of a program already in place in Europe, aims to ease the point of entry.
Sponsored | Energy Efficiency | May 16, 2016
Metal wall panels’ deep shadow lines break up massing of Georgia school
Marist School, a private Roman Catholic college preparatory school, creates a highly-sustainable structure on its campus.
