WASHINGTON, DC, US, 2004-05-19 (Refocus Weekly) Renewable energies in the U.S. will grow 2.8% by next year, lower than the 6.3% increase reported from 2003 into 2004, according to government data.
Total demand for renewables in the U.S. this year will be 6.583 quadrillion
Btu, up from 6.190 quads in 2003 and 6.069 quads in 2002. In 2005, it will be
6.767quads, according to the May update to the ‘Short-Term Energy Outlook’
produced by the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.
The increase from 2002-2003 was 2.0% and 6.3% from 2003-2004, but it will drop
to 2.8% from 2004-2005.
Geothermal, solar, wind, biofuels and conventional hydroelectricity (not
including pumped storage) are classified as renewables. It also includes “minor
components” of non-marketed renewables that provides inputs to marketed
energy. EIA does not estimate consumption of non-marketed renewables, such as
off-grid green power or green heat systems.
Under the base case, production of hydroelectricity will be 2.93 quads this
year, rising to 3.09 quads in 2005, while other renewable energies will produce
3.56 and 3.58 quads, respectively. By comparison, coal will be 22.46 quads this
year, natural gas will be 19.78, crude oil will be 11.87, gas liquids will be
2.41 and nuclear will produce 8.11 quads, for an energy total of 71.12 quads.
Total energy demand this year will be 98.77quads.
The use of renewables in the U.S. electricity sector will rise 4.7% by next
year, led by a 5.3% increase from hydroelectric sites, 3.7% from geothermal,
solar and wind facilities, and 1.9% from biofuels.
In the residential sector, the 0.474 quads from renewables by next year will
represent an increase of 4.2% while the commercial level of 0.112 quads will
remain flat. In transportation, the 0.275 quads of renewables will be 4.2%
higher than this year, but the 1.816 quads in the industrial sector will be a
decline of -1.7%.