Energy In Brief Articles

What are renewable portfolio standards and how do they affect generation of electricity from renewable sources?

Renewable portfolio standards are policies designed to increase electricity generation from renewable resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Many States have their own renewable portfolio standards, although currently there is no program at the National level. States with renewable portfolio programs have seen an increase in the amount of electricity generated from renewable fuels.

How much of our electricity is generated from renewable sources?

Americans used renewable energy sources — water (hydroelectric), wood, biofuels, wind, organic waste, geothermal, and sun — to meet about 8% of our total energy needs, and 10% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2009. Electricity producers consumed 53% of total U.S. renewable energy in 2009 for producing electricity.

How much of the world's electricity supply is generated from wind?

Worldwide wind power generation exceeded 250 billion kilowatthours in 2009, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of over 22 million average households in the United States. Wind generation increased by about 20% from 2008 to 2009, and has more than tripled since 2004. This growth is mostly due to capacity increases in the United States, China, India, and Western Europe.

See all Energy in Brief articles ›

Renewable Energy Explained

What is renewable energy?

Unlike fossil fuels, which are exhaustible, renewable energy sources regenerate and can be sustained indefinitely. The five renewable sources used most often are biomass, water (hydropower), geothermal, wind, and solar.

Renewable energy incentives

Investment in and use of renewable energy is both encouraged and required by a range of State and Federal Government incentives and legislation.

See more renewable energy topics ›