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Newsbrief from Environmental Building News
September 1, 2009

Renewables Surge as Percentage of U.S. Electricity

The percentage of electricity generation provided by renewables is growing. Between April 2008 and April 2009, renewables provided 11.1% of electricity; between January and May 2009, they provided 11.6%.

A recent report from the Energy Information Administration confirms a rapid increase in the percentage of electricity generated from renewable sources, crediting renewables with 11.1% of total U.S. electrical generation. The report covered a 12-month period ending in April 2009 and examined both hydropower and non-hydro renewables, including wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal. According to the findings for absolute output, hydropower generation jumped 8.22%, while non-hydro renewables saw a 12.47% increase over the previous year. Moreover, 4.24% of U.S. electrical output in April came from non-hydro renewables—1.24% higher than the target in the pending Senate energy bill for 2013. Energy conservation also increased, with net electricity generation dropping 5% from April 2008 to April 2009. Conversely, generation from coal, natural gas, and nuclear power declined as much as 13.9%.
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1. Source: Energy Information Administration
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