The world
loves energy! The US Energy Information Agency projects a US electricity usage increase
by 2040 of 25%. The International Energy Agency (OECD) projects increased
energy use of 56% by 2040. Both
projections assume no new regulations such as the US Clean Power Plan which
would reduce greenhouse gasses from electric power by 30% by 2030. This
compares with an increase from present emissions in the do nothing projection
as coal and nuclear both are used as much in 2040 as today while renewables are
doubled (providing about one-third of the increase) and natural gas accounts
for the other two-thirds of the increased usage.
China is the biggest emitter, US second,
and India third. Perspective? US per capita emissions three times China’s and
over 12 times India’s per capita emissions.
The Obama
Administration’s announcement that it will enter “politically binding” agreements
with other countries at the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change meetings
in Paris next year is good news. Let’s take a step further with a program to
encourage voluntary increases in energy efficiency in various sectors (like we
did in garbage in days of yore)!
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