The United States of Energy
The United States of America is one of the largest economies in the world. As such it is also one of the largest consumers of energy in the world. In fact, imports of energy are required to meet the energy demands of the nation. In 2014, the USA consumed 2,224 Mtoe (one million tones of oil equivalencies), to come in second place world wide (Enerdata). By far, the majority USA energy consumption is supplied by conventional sources such as oil (petroleum) and coal. However, in recent years, there have been trends towards increasing development and capacity of renewable sources of energy (IRENA 2015). Energy policies in the USA, though subject to some extent to the whims of politics, are produced at the local, regional, and national levels.
Nationwide Renewable Use
The USA is rich in many resources, including those needed for successful generation of energy by way of renewable energy technologies. In 2014, 13.7% of the electricity generated in the United States was generated form renewable sources (Enerdata). Hydroelectric generation is the most productive renewable source, followed by wind, geothermal, and solar (I left out Biomass, because we did not view that as being as renewable as the other sources). According to the EIA, more than half of the energy generated from renewables is used to produce electricity.
Policies
Federal government policies play a role in making renewable energy sources affordable for industries and general consumers by providing production tax credits and investment tax credits. The goal of many federal policies is to reduce US dependence on foreign oil as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Under the most recent administration, renewable energy technologies have been viewed with and "all of the above" lens which means that a single technology is not singled out and prioritized over others (IRENA 2015).
Many policies at the state level regarding renewable energies are more ambitious than federal policies. States have a better handle on the control of energy generation because most energy is supplied regionally rather than nationally. States can set their own standards for how much of their energy should be produced by renewable technologies. However, the friendliness towards renewable energies is not even among the states. For example, some states in the Southwest, which traditionally have had economies reliant on coal production are more reluctant to pass sweeping regulations agains conventional energies.
For an interactive map and ranking database of all 50 states based on their achievements regarding efficiency, click here:
http://aceee.org/sector/state-policy
For an interactive map addressing state level incentives for renewable energy use as well as efficiency, click here:
http://www.dsireusa.org/
For an interactive map and ranking database of all 50 states based on their achievements regarding efficiency, click here:
http://aceee.org/sector/state-policy
For an interactive map addressing state level incentives for renewable energy use as well as efficiency, click here:
http://www.dsireusa.org/
Future Trends
The future for renewable energy in the USA seems bright. Under the Obama administration the federal government has pursued legislation for increasing domestic energy generation. Though this includes researching and developing technologies such as fracking which is potentially more environmentally damaging than normal conventional oil drilling practices, renewable energies have also been a focus. According to the 2015 IRENA report on the renewable energy prospects of the USA, some particular goals generated by the White House that promote the future development of renewable energies in the USA include:
- "Double the Share of Clean Electricity over the next 25 from 40% to 80% in 2035"
- "Promoting Renewable Electricity in Rural America"
- "Opening a New Frontier for Atlantic Offshore Wind Development"
- "Eliminating Fossil Fuel Subsidies to Help Support Clean Energy"
- has minimal environmental impact
- is affordabld, flexible and robust
- is easily scalable to meet demands
- is safe for all
The Good
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The (kinda) Bad
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the Ugly
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