SUN DAY: Renewables Rise in Output While Nukes Drop

 RENEWABLE SOURCES NOW PROVIDE 10.7 PERCENT OF U.S. ENERGY PRODUCTION & 10.5 PERCENT OF NET GRID-CONNECTED ELECTRICAL GENERATION.  

RENEWABLES' GROWTH RATE CONTINUES, AS NUCLEAR OUTPUT DROPS FOR 3d CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Washington DC -- According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy sources (i.e., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind) provided 10.66% of domestic U.S. energy production during the twelve months of 2009 - the latest time-frame for which data has been published. And according to EIA's latest "Electric Power Monthly," renewable energy sources provided 10.46% of net U.S. electrical generation for the same time period.

This continues the steady growth trend for renewable energy. Renewables accounted for 10.10% of domestic energy production in 2008 and 9.44% in 2007.

Renewable energy sources (biofuels, biomass, geothermal, solar, wind, water power) provided 7.833 quadrillion Btus in 2009 - an increase of 5.5% over 2008 and an increase of 15.8% over 2007. The largest single renewable energy source was biomass (including biofuels) which accounted for 51.0% of renewable energy production, followed by hydropower at 34.2%. Wind, geothermal, and solar sources provided 8.9%, 4.7%, and 1.2% of the total renewable energy output respectively.

Moreover, renewable energy's contribution to the nation's domestic energy production is now almost equal to that provided by nuclear power. Nuclear power accounted for 11.33% of domestic energy production in 2009. But while renewable source continue to expand, nuclear output in 2009 dropped for the third year in a row - declining by 1.2% from its 2008 level and 1.5% from its 2007 level.

"As Congress continues its debate on pending energy and climate legislation in 2010, it would do well to take note of the clear trends in the nation's changing energy mix," said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. "Renewable energy has proven itself to be a solid investment - growing rapidly and nipping at the heels of the stagnant nuclear power."

In the electricity sector, hydropower provided 6.89% of U.S.-generated electricity in 2009 while non-hydro renewables (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, wind) contributed 3.57% for a combined total of 10.46%. By comparison, non-hydro renewables accounted for 3.06% of electrical generation in 2008 and 2.53% in 2007 while hydropower provided 6.19% in 2008 and 5.95% in 2007. In terms of electricity actually generated, non-hydro renewables in 2009 increased by 11.81% over 2008 levels and by 34.09% over 2007 levels; while hydropower's 2009 output rose by 6.79% over 2008 and by 9.95% over 2007. For 2009, wind accounted for just over half (50.14%) of electrical generation from non-hydro renewable energy sources followed by biomass (38.50%), geothermal (10.78%) and solar (0.58%).

The U.S. Energy Information Administration released the "Monthly Energy Review" on March 31, 2010. It can be found at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/overview.html. The relevant tables from which the data above are extrapolated are Tables 1.1 and 1.2. EIA released its most recent "Electric Power Monthly" on March 15, 2010; see: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html. The most relevant charts are Tables ES1.A, ES1.B, and 1.1.

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The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels.

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NEWS ADVISORY: Renewable Energy Rises to 10.5% of U.S. Energy Production & Electricity