Use of renewable energy in US hits record low

Use of renewable energy in US hits record low Xinhua News Agency - December 8, 2002

WASHINGTON, Dec 8, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX)

Very interesting.

1) Renewable only accounts for 6% of the total useage

2) Out of the 6%, Hydro contributes 41.9% = 2.5% of the total

3) Out of the 6%, burning biomass contributes 50.4% = ~3.1% of the total... and we all know burning anything is bad, or so we are told.

4) which means wind/solar/everything else contributes about ~0.4% of the total energy useage/requirement. Dang near off the radar screen, I would

Hydro power isn't very renewable if it doesn't rain. Apparently renewables cannot compete with fossil energy unless they have large subsidies or tax incentives. Dr. Bob

There are some special interest groups (always some kind, one way or another) that are protesting *against* dams/reservoirs that store water to pass through the turbines to make electricity. They want the water to flow through, w/o storage so the aquatic life is not endangered. If/when this takes ahold, then hydro can no longer be considered a renewable energy source, or just be greatly declassified. Then there is the another special interest group that doesn't want timber harvesting (biomass gathering) because of another threat on some sort of endangered species. Will we every please all the special interest groups at the same time? I don't think so.

Hydropower is not strictly speaking a renewable resource, simply because the reservoirs silt up over time. However, this is far more of a problem in more tropical countries, including many sites in the third world. Hence the protests.

Additionally, the carbon release from reservoirs can have a significant effect, so they are not perfect from that point of view, either.

As far as old growth forest harvesting goes, this is not going to be used for biofuels in any case; the wood is far too valuable for that. The main problem with such biofuels is more that growing enough to have a significant impact on energy generation would take large amounts of cropland out of production whilst giving a poor energy return.

Nuclear, wind and solar are probably the only rational long term

What are they burning from the biomass group that shows some sort of power generation other than the sawdust from the timber mills? Doesn't necesarily have to be old growth. BTW, old old growth has alot of internal rot,

Agree, if we can get the special interest groups under control and some laws reversed. All possible, I guess.

Hmm, I'm no conspiracy theorist, but here's one... The non-renewables are going to run out any way, so why not shelve the renewables for now, use more non-r so that when it does run out sooner that later, they'll just start cashing in on the 'expensive' renewables that 'fell out of favor' all those years back.

Sounds reasonable to me. Rape and pillage until it actually does run out, *then* worry. Only, they make sure they can effortlessly splip into renewables and hey, sure it costs a little more, but they can still do business.

Fact is, it'll never be too late for a few generations to come, so few of those running the non-r businesses now have any concerns at all.

And there's never enough concerned public out there. Lip service is the rule. Other people's, other countries, other days. Just so it isn't their relatives, their country or today, they really don't care.

I know I don't! Hell, I've got my 'smart meter' and all that means is that I can use more and pay less. Magic! Same with gas. Use a little pay a lot, but use more and its more cost effective. So on the one hand, my gas water heater's true cost inefficiencies are masked, and my electric meter lets me use more and pay $300 less a year.

I'm a true unconcerned consumer...

OK. Not a problem. Nuclear waste just isn't all that hazardous. You could build a house on Yucca mountain once they get the thing crammed full, and you STILL would get less dose from the waste than you get from the K-40 that is within your own body right now.....

Other things being equal, I'd rather have nuclear waste stored in my basement than coal combustion waste stored in my lungs, atmosphere, and water. If I had a basement. Actually, if I had a basement, I might be worried about the build-up of natural radon gas. No basement, no worries.

only because or use of energy is growing faster than the renewables. renewable generation is up each year as well.

we already pay farmers with tax money to keep cropland out of production. use it for biofuels and save money.