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Rows of solar panels on a family farm in Grafton, Massachusetts, provide electricity to nearby homes and small businesses. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
Solar Energy Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans (77%) believe that it is more important for America to develop alternative energy sources such as solar and wind energy than to produce more coal, oil and other fossil fuels. This begs the question: how
Why Are Fossil Fuels So Hard To Quit?
The answer is, as you might expect, complicated. The use of solar and wind energy has grown rapidly over the past decade, but these sources accounted for less than 4% of the total energy used in the US. Data, most of the energy used in the United States comes from coal, oil, and natural gas. In 2018, fossil fuels provided about 80% of the country’s energy needs, which is slightly less than 84% a decade earlier. Although the use of coal has decreased in recent years, the use of natural gas has increased, and the share of oil in the country’s energy sector has changed from 35% to 40%.
The total amount of energy used in the US that. — from lighting and heating homes to cooking, powering fuel plants, driving cars and powering smartphones — reached 101.2 quadrillion Btu in 2018, the highest level since data collection began in 1949, according to federal data. . Energy Information Administration (EIA).
(Abbreviation for British Thermal Unit, Btu is often used in the energy industry – not to mention home businesses – as a common standard for measuring and comparing different types of energy. One Btu is the amount of energy required to heat 1 lb. of water to 1 degree C at sea level. (Fahrenheit. This is equivalent to about 1.055 joules in the metric system, or the heat released by lighting a standard wooden kitchen match.)
The United States is the second largest user of energy, second only to China, according to one estimate. With public concern over climate change rising and energy policy becoming a major issue in this year’s political campaigns, we wanted reliable first-hand information on how the US is doing. It gets and uses energy and how the trends are changing lately.
How The Clean Energy Transition Affects Workers And Communities
The report is primarily based on data collected by the Energy Information Administration, the US statistical office. that. Department of Energy. We also refer to the Pew Research Center’s survey of Americans’ views on climate and energy policy. The survey interviewed 3,627 members of the Center’s American Trends Panel drawn in October 2019 from a national, randomly selected sample of residential addresses. Here are the survey questions, answers and survey methodology.
About 38% of all BTUs go to the power industry (power companies and independent power producers), which convert them into electricity and feed it back into the rest of the economy. Transport accounts for about 28% of total energy consumption, followed by the industrial sector (23%), households (7%) and commercial establishments (less than 5%).
Per capita energy consumption in the US that. has been on a downward trend since the beginning of the 21st century, but increased in 2018. In 2000, each American used an average of 349.8 million Btu. In 2017, that fell to 300.5 million Btu, a five-decade low. In 2018, energy consumption per capita increased to 309.3 million Btu. (Per capita energy consumption reached 359 million Btu in 1979.)
Put another way, the U.S. In 1949, it took 15,175 Btu to produce each dollar of real gross domestic product. In 2018, it was 5,450, which is a decrease of 64%. But there are still many inefficiencies in the system: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory estimates that two-thirds of all energy used in 2018 was wasted (like heat from cars and furnaces). And only 34.5% of the energy used in the electricity industry reaches the end consumers as electricity, and the rest is lost in the process of energy production, transmission and distribution.
Solar Energy Now Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels Even Without Subsidies
Today, the United States meets almost all of its energy needs domestically. Net imports, mostly oil, accounted for less than 4% of total US imports. that. Energy supply in 2018, up from 26% a decade earlier.
In the first 10 months of 2019, the US that. About 3.7 billion barrels of crude oil were produced, which is more than 2 billion more than the same period in 2009, according to EIA data. In all of 2018, crude oil accounted for nearly a quarter of total US crude oil production. that. Energy production. Natural gas, which accounted for about a third of total energy production in 2018, also rose from 21.7 trillion cubic feet in the first nine months of 2009 to 33.6 trillion cubic feet in the same period in 2019.
The dramatic increase in domestic oil and gas production has been fueled by new technologies, particularly fracking and horizontal drilling, which allow companies to access underground deposits that were previously too expensive to exploit. As a result, the US that It was the largest producer of oil and gas in 2018 – Saudi Arabia and Russia, respectively.
In contrast, coal has fallen sharply since a peak of around 1.2 billion tonnes mined in 2008. Almost all American it. Coal (about 93% in 2018 according to EIA data) is used for electricity generation. But according to a Brookings Institution report, US electricity demand is Coal accounted for just 16% of total domestic energy production in 2018, less than half its share a decade ago. The volume of 540 million tons mined in the first nine months of 2019 was a third less than in the same period of 2009.
Six Places Where Renewable Energy Is Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels
Over the past decade, solar has had the largest percentage growth of any energy source in the US. that. Source of energy. In 2008, solar energy produced slightly more than 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, and a decade later it produced more than 93 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, which is almost 46 times more. Solar growth is happening both large (power plants) and small (rooftop solar panels). In general, two-thirds of solar energy is generated on the grid, with solar installations in homes and commercial buildings making up most of the rest.
However, solar energy accounted for only 1% of the country’s total energy production in 2018. The largest renewable energy source remains hydropower (2.8% of total production), followed by wind, wood and biofuels.
About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan center that informs the public about the issues, attitudes, and trends that shape the world. Conducts public opinion surveys, demographic surveys, analysis of media content and other empirical social research. The Pew Research Center does not take political positions. It is a subsidiary of the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Copyright 2022 Pew Research Center Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Reprints, Permissions, and Use Policy Feedback Careers Workers clean photovoltaic panels at a solar power plant in Gujarat, India. Credit: Reuters / Alamy Stock Photo.
Renewable Energy To Be Equal Or Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels By 2020
The world’s best solar systems now offer the “cheapest… electricity in history” with technology that is cheaper than coal and gas in most major countries.
This is according to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2020. The 464-page forecast released today by the IEA also points to an “extremely turbulent” impact from the coronavirus and a “highly uncertain” outlook for global energy use over the next two periods. for decades.
Reflecting this uncertainty, this year’s version of the highly influential annual outlook offers four “pathways” to 2040, all of which would lead to large increases in renewables. The IEA’s baseline scenario includes 43% more solar generation in 2040 than expected in 2018, after a new detailed analysis found solar power to be 20-50% cheaper than projected.
Despite the rapid growth of renewables and the “structural” decline of coal, the IEA believes it is premature to declare a peak in global oil use unless drastic climate action is taken. Similarly, if global warming policy measures are strengthened, gas demand could increase by 30% by 2040.
Wind Power Or Solar Energy: What’s The Better Choice?
This means that although global CO2 emissions have effectively peaked, they are “far from the immediate peak and decline” needed to stabilize the climate. The IEA says that achieving net zero emissions will require “unprecedented” efforts not just from the electricity sector, but from every part of the global economy.
For the first time, the IEA included a detailed model of the 1.5C pathway to global net CO2 emissions by 2050. She stated that changes in individual behaviour, such as working from home “three days a week”, would be “significant”. This is a role in achieving the new “net zero emissions by 2050.” (NZE2050).
Every year the IEA publishes the World Energy Outlook (WEO).
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The Switch
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Author by : Chris Goodall
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2016-07-07
Publisher by : Profile Books
ISBN :
Description : How will the world be powered in ten years' time? Not by fossil fuels. Energy experts are all saying the same thing: solar photovoltaics (PV) is our future. Reports from universities, investment banks, international institutions and large investors agree. It's not about whether the switch from fossil fuels to solar power will happen, but when. Solar panels are being made that will last longer than ever hoped; investors are seeing the benefits of the long-term rewards provided by investing in solar; in the Middle East, a contractor can now offer solar-powered electricity far cheaper than that of a coal-fired power station. The Switch tracks the transition away from coal, oil and gas to a world in which the limitless energy of the sun provides much of the energy the 10 billion people of this planet will need. It examines both the solar future and how we will get there, and the ways in which we will provide stored power when the sun isn't shining. We learn about artificial photosynthesis from a start-up in the US that is making petrol from just CO2 and sunlight; ideas on energy storage are drawn from a company in Germany that makes batteries for homes; in the UK, a small company in Swindon has the story of wind turbines; and in Switzerland, a developer shows how we can use hydrogen to make 'renewable' natural gas for heating. Told through the stories of entrepreneurs, inventors and scientists from around the world, and using the latest research and studies, The Switch provides a positive solution to the climate change crisis, and looks to a brighter future ahead....
The World We Need
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Author by : Audrea Lim
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2021-05-04
Publisher by : The New Press
ISBN :
Description : The inspiring people and grassroots organizations that are on the front lines of the battle to save the planet As the world's scientists have come together and declared a "climate emergency," the fight to protect our planet's ecological resources and the people that depend on them is more urgent than ever. But the real battles for our future are taking place far from the headlines and international conferences, in mostly forgotten American communities where the brutal realities of industrial pollution and environmental degradation have long been playing out. The World We Need provides a vivid introduction to America's largely unsung grassroots environmental groups—often led by activists of color and the poor—valiantly fighting back in America's so-called sacrifice zones against industries poisoning our skies and waterways and heating our planet. Through original reporting, profiles, artwork, and interviews, we learn how these activist groups, almost always working on shoestring budgets, are devising creative new tactics; building sustainable projects to transform local economies; and organizing people long overlooked by the environmental movement—changing its face along the way. Capturing the riveting stories and hard-won strategies from a broad cross section of pivotal environmental actions—from Standing Rock to Puerto Rico—The World We Need offers a powerful new model for the larger environmental movement, and inspiration for concerned citizens everywhere....
Projected Costs Of Generating Electricity
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Author by : OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 1998
Publisher by : Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
ISBN :
Description : This is the fifth study in a series on the future costs of generating electricity. It reviews cost estimates for power plants using nuclear, coal, gas and renewable energy sources....
Renewable Energy A Status Quo
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Author by : Ali Sayigh
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2022-09-01
Publisher by : CRC Press
ISBN :
Description : It is evident to all that climate change is happening - the results can be seen in many countries. Floods, freaks storms, wind speeds of more than 80 mph, heat waves, droughts, rising sea levels and disappearing glaciers, largely due to excessive use of fossil fuels.Climate change acceleration began slowly in the 1970s but has now increased beyond our ability to stop it or reduce its impact. Using renewable energy effectively on a large scale will put an end or considerably slow down this process in many parts of the world. This book shows that some countries are making greater efforts than others. Installations of the 70s and 80s were limited to kilowatts while in the 2010s we speak in terms of megawatts. The cost of most renewable energy systems have been reduced by so much that they have reached parity with fossil fuels, or are even cheaper. The most effective progress has been made in photovoltaic systems, whilst concentrated solar power, biomass, wind energy and hydro-power have greatly improved payback periods too.While much is hoped from the outcome of the December 2015 Paris climate summit, realistically in the past very few nations honoured their pledges. A great deal of aid has been given to poor countries which are suffering from climate change, however the donor nations have failed to restrict their own carbon emissions. Many poor countries feel they are being expected to forgo the industrial benefits which came from the industrial revolution powered by fossil fuels. The book will outline the achievements of renewable energy by the end of 2015 / beginning of 2016....
Taming The Sun
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Author by : Varun Sivaram
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2019-02-26
Publisher by : MIT Press
ISBN :
Description : How solar could spark a clean-energy transition through transformative innovation—creative financing, revolutionary technologies, and flexible energy systems. Solar energy, once a niche application for a limited market, has become the cheapest and fastest-growing power source on earth. What's more, its potential is nearly limitless—every hour the sun beams down more energy than the world uses in a year. But in Taming the Sun, energy expert Varun Sivaram warns that the world is not yet equipped to harness erratic sunshine to meet most of its energy needs. And if solar's current surge peters out, prospects for replacing fossil fuels and averting catastrophic climate change will dim. Innovation can brighten those prospects, Sivaram explains, drawing on firsthand experience and original research spanning science, business, and government. Financial innovation is already enticing deep-pocketed investors to fund solar projects around the world, from the sunniest deserts to the poorest villages. Technological innovation could replace today's solar panels with coatings as cheap as paint and employ artificial photosynthesis to store intermittent sunshine as convenient fuels. And systemic innovation could add flexibility to the world's power grids and other energy systems so they can dependably channel the sun's unreliable energy. Unleashing all this innovation will require visionary public policy: funding researchers developing next-generation solar technologies, refashioning energy systems and economic markets, and putting together a diverse clean energy portfolio. Although solar can't power the planet by itself, it can be the centerpiece of a global clean energy revolution. A Council on Foreign Relations Book...
Why Local Solar For All Costs Less
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Author by : Christopher T M Clack
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2020-12-14
Publisher by : Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC
ISBN :
Description : The present study finds that by including the co-optimization of the distribution system, the contiguous United States could spend $473 billion less on cleaning the electricity system by 95% by 2050 and add over 8 million new jobs. The clean electricity system is even cheaper than BAU, without distribution co-optimization to the tune of $88 billion. The findings suggest that local solar and storage can amplified utility-scale wind and solar as well as provide economic stimulus to all regions across the contiguous US. The study finds that wind, solar, storage and transmission can be complements to each other to help reduce the cost to decarbonize the electricity system. Transmission provides spatial diversity, storage provides temporal diversity, and the wind and solar provide the low-cost, emission-free generation. Further, the distributed solar and storage provide local back-up and diversity for consumers to be able to purchase their electricity product without significant alterations to their behavior: in other words, the distributed solar and storage alters demand to supply, without the customers noticing. The study was produced by VCE, for the Coalition for Community Solar Access, Vote Solar, and Local Solar For All. Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC performed all the modeling using the WIS:dom®-P model with nationally recognized publicly available data and assumptions. The executive summary, slide deck white paper, summary spreadsheet, and a press release are provided (a full technical report will be released shortly). Technical documentation for the WIS:dom®-P model can be found here....
The Great Transition Shifting From Fossil Fuels To Solar And Wind Energy
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Author by : Lester R. Brown
Languange Used : en
Release Date : 2015-04-20
Publisher by : W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN :
Description : The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As oil insecurity deepens, the extraction risks of fossil fuels rise, and concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled by oil, natural gas, and coal is being replaced with one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Great Transition details the accelerating pace of this global energy revolution. As many countries become less enamored with coal and nuclear power, they are embracing an array of clean, renewable energies. Whereas solar energy projects were once small-scale, largely designed for residential use, energy investors are now building utility-scale solar projects. Strides are being made: some of the huge wind farm complexes under construction in China will each produce as much electricity as several nuclear power plants, and an electrified transport system supplemented by the use of bicycles could reshape the way we think about mobility....
