The latest issue of Monthly Energy Review, published by the Energy Information Administration, revealed that renewable energy production has been larger than nuclear energy production in the U.S.. It also showed that alternative energy types of energy has almost matched domestic oil production.
According to Domestic Fuel magazine, during the period analyzed (Q1 2011), “energy produced from renewable energy sources (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, hydro, wind) generated 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy equating to 11.73 percent of U.S. energy production. During this same time period, renewable energy production surpassed nuclear energy power by 5.65 percent. In total, energy produced from renewables is 77.15 percent of that from domestic crude oil production.”
Solar power has increased by 104.8 per cent while wind power increased by 40.3 per cent. Hydropower increased by 28.7 per cent while geothermal saw a rise of 5.8 per cent. Nuclear saw a slight increase in generation, but remained mostly stead, the article highlighted.
Overall, renewable energy increased just over 15 per cent compared with the same period in 2010 and 25 per cent when compared with the same period in 2009.
Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.
