Mark Wagner (right), vice president government relations, Johnson Controls, introduces U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon at a reception celebrating the release of "The Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook." The event also marked the 20th anniversary of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy.
Report shows gains for sustainable energy
The United States is consuming energy considerably more efficiently and with lower emissions than just five years ago, according to a new report commissioned by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE).
“The Sustainable Energy in America 2013 Factbook,” produced by research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, was supported by contributions by BCSE members including Johnson Controls. Mark Wagner, vice president government relations, Johnson Controls, is chairman of the organization.
“This factbook offers a fresh look at the state of U.S. energy, focusing on natural gas, renewable energy and energy efficiency, along with the roles these technologies now play,” Wagner said. “It is a quantitative and objective report for policy makers, journalists, and industry professionals with up-to-date market intelligence.”
According to the report, new technologies are helping change decades-old patterns in energy usage. Highlights of the factbook include:
- Renewable energy installations hit an all-time record with at least 17 GW of new nameplate capacity added in 2012.
- In April 2012, electricity generation from natural gas equaled that from coal for the first time in U.S history.
- Policies and approaches for financing energy efficiency continued to make market headway; energy intensity for U.S. commercial buildings has now dropped by more than 40 percent since 1980 and investments in smart grid topped $4 billion.
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the energy sector were on pace to sink to their lowest level since 1994.
According to the report, renewable energy sources are being built quickly while renewable energy production costs are plummeting. The total installed renewable capacity has more than doubled in the five years between 2008 and 2012.
“These new energy technologies, which some still claim aren't ready for prime time, are already making a major impact on U.S. energy,” said Ethan Zindler, Head of Policy Analysis at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.“And the U.S. has only begun to receive the full benefit of lower prices for clean energy equipment.”
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