Comments on: 11% of U.S. Energy Production from Renewable Resources in 2010

By: 2011: The Year Renewables Overtook Nuclear in the US

2011: The Year Renewables Overtook Nuclear in the US — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:27:18 +0000

[…] comeback, accounting for 10.62% of the US’ energy mix. But that’s still down from 2010′s figure of 11.3%. Renewables, on the other hand, held strong at 12%, up from 10.9% in […]

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:48:00 +0000

ton of excellent points — agreed, agreed, agreed. people have been saying solar and other renewable energy options were on the verge of booming (and they have) but i think we really are on the verge now. in the midst of cost crossovers. & all the other factors you point out drive the change faster

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:46:00 +0000

MikeSR: thanks for those extra points — really useful and, as you say, often missed

By: Energy Fact of the Week: Nuclear Growth Versus Renewables – The American (blog) : Grow Electricity – Tips and Resources for using wind and solar

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:23:09 +0000

[…] energyREVEA Nobel Prize for Renewable EnergyRenewableEnergyWorld.comKC Community News -CleanTechnica -Tulsa Worldall 26 news […]

By: Anumakonda Jagadeesh

Anumakonda Jagadeesh — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Yes. US is harnessing Renewables in a big way just like China.

Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India

By: MikeSR

MikeSR — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 22:48:00 +0000

There are many benefits to solar power which are not easily seen at the start.
1. Solar panels have a life span of 20+ years – that means they produce energy from the sun (no fuel cost) for 20 years or more. This means you can spread out the cost over many years. Coal plants require fuel.
2. Solar panels produce no pollution – this is good for our lungs.
3. Solar panels produce the most electricity in the afternoon, when many people are using air conditioning (e.g., central valley California), and when electricity from conventional plants is most expensive. While homeowners do not pay variable rates, businesses do, which means that they pay more for electricity used in the afternoon, when many of us are at work or when manufacturing plants run. We have special plants call “peakers” which run only in the afternoon – these are expensive to build, require fuel, and they pollute.
4. Solar panels do not always take up desert land – they can be put on top of parking lots, on roofs, on unusable land.

Please add to the list.

I say bravo to Governor Brown for the new California legislation!

And thank you to Zachary Shahan for this different perspective. I’m very encouraged that solar production of electricity generation is up 46%. Let’s keep that momentum!!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:57:00 +0000

I suspect 11% by 2020 is a low estimate, not a target.

Geothermal is taking off.

Wind is now cheaper than coal and most likely natural gas. That means private money is likely to pour into wind as investors see opportunities to take profits away from more expensive providers.

Solar prices are dropping like lead bloomers when the fleet hits town. With the economy recovering and homeowners realizing they can save a lot of money by installing PV, rooftop installations are going to boom.

Big business is now getting heavily involved with renewables. This means that we will see larger, more ambitious projects in the next couple of years. GE or Bechtel can front something on a much larger scale than can a company with only a few dozen, or few hundred, employees.

And as the economy recovers people will turn their attention to their immediate worries and focus on climate change. Look for a lot more active support for renewables.