Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The 2 Big Electric Generation Winners: Gas Up 47% & Non-hydro Renewable Energy Up 76% Since 2008

Since 2008, both natural gas and non-hydro renewable energy have experienced boom times, generating ever larger shares of our nation's electricity.  But which fuel--natural gas or non-hydro renewable energy--has increased more its electricity generation market share?

From 2008 to first 7 months of 2012, non-hydro renewable energy has seen its market share of electricity generation increase from 3.1% to 5.4% of all electricity generated.  Its market share has jumped 76%.
www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_1_01.  With hydro added, renewable energy now consistently provides 13% to 14% of America's electricity, an impressive, growing number.

During the same period of 2008-2012, natural gas has seen its generation market share jump from 21.4% to 31.1% or about 47%. The gains of gas have come at the expense of coal that has seen about a 25% decline in its market share. Unlike the 2 big winners gas and non-hydro renewable energy, coal, nuclear, hydro, and oil have either lost or maintained market share.

This data obviously offers no support for the assertion that gas would displace non-hydro renewable energy. Instead, both have enjoyed boom times.

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