solarnation » Renewables’ Growth Rate Beats out Nuclear and Fossil Fuels

Renewables’ Growth Rate Beats out Nuclear and Fossil Fuels

September 25, 2009

The following news advisory was issued by the Sustainable Energy Coalition.

According to the latest issue of the “Monthly Energy Review” by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy sources, e.g., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, and wind, provided 11.37 percent of domestic U.S. energy production in June 2009 – the latest month for which data has been published. In both April and May, renewables accounted for more domestic energy production than nuclear, and in the first six months of 2009 provided 11.18 percent of net U.S. electrical generation.

For the first six months of 2009, renewable energy production accounted for 10.67 percent of domestic production, rising to 11.32 percent for the second quarter. This compares to 10.2 percent for the first half of 2008 and 9.89 percent for the first half of 2007. In terms of electrical generation, renewables provided 11.18 percent in the first half of 2009, an increase of 1.28 percent over the previous year’s figure.

Significantly, renewable energy’s contribution to the nation’s energy production is now almost equal to that provided by nuclear power, which has averaged 11.43 percent in the first half of the last three years. Most of the growth in renewables from last year to this came from wind and hydropower, which expanded by 24.54 percent and 7.14 percent respectively in the first six months. The contributions from solar and geothermal remained essentially unchanged. By comparison, nuclear power increased by only 1.38 percent, while domestic fossil fuel production actually declined 0.7 percent.

“As Congress debates energy funding priorities and climate legislation, it would do well to take note of the clear trends in the nation’s changing energy mix,” said Ken Bossong, Sustainable Energy Coalition coordinator and Executive Director of the SUN DAY campaign. “Renewable energy has become a major player—growing rapidly and nipping at the heels of nuclear power—while fossil fuel use continues to drop.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration released the “Monthly Energy Review” on September 24. It can be found at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/overview.html. The relevant tables from which the above data are extrapolated are tables 1.1, 1.2, and 10.1.

Ken Bossong can be contacted at 301-270-6477, ext.11.

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