As we pointed out a few months ago, America added more renewable energy in 2007 than non-renewable. That means that, yes, we are actually, for real, undeniably, headed in the right direction. Or, at least, we were...for that one year.
But according to a new report from The Prometheus Institute, we're on this path to stay. It looks, actually, like 90% of new capacity added in 2012 will be renewable, a high enough percentage that non-renewable energy will actually start declining absolutely, not just relative to the total energy mix.
Most of this new renewable energy will come from wind power, but a growing percentage will be solar. There should be about 16 gigawatts of wind coming online in the US in 2012, while solar will add 2 gigwatts. That might not seem like an impressive number for solar, but it certainly is when you see that fossil fuels, in 2012, will probably only increase by about 1 gigawatt.
All of this is being caused largely by an un-touted benefit of renewable energy...it's easier to regulate. The process for regulating new coal power plants and (to an even greater extent) nuclear plants means, at minimum, a five year lag time between conception and beginning construction. Solar and wind have, at minimum, just a year of regulatory time.
It will be very difficult to wean ourselves off of coal and petroleum, but the only way to do it is to have all newly-installed power be renewable. And, in fifty-year's time, even the youngest of today's coal plants will be ready to retire. That is what we must do and, friends, it's what we're doing. Excellent.
Via Greentech Media
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written by John Rowell, April 09, 2009
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written by Ken Heslip, April 09, 2009
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written by James, April 10, 2009
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written by Bob Wallace, April 11, 2009
That's the beginning of serious market penetration.
(And coal dropped a percent or so....)
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written by Tim Albinson, April 13, 2009
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APR 09
"renewable energy has a good impact ..."
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