2017 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IN AMERICA FACTBOOK

The 2017 edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook—produced for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, provides up-to-date, accurate market information about the broad range of industries— energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy—that are contributing to the country’s move towards cleaner energy production and more efficient energy usage. The 2017 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook marks the fifth year that BCSE and BNEF have collaborated to document the transformation of the US energy system and the growing contributions of sustainable energy technologies.

In the past five years, these contributions have been significant, including:

• The addition of 76 GW of renewable energy generating capacity, and 39 GW of natural gas-fired capacity. Renewables (inclusive of large hydro) and natural gas now meet half of US power demand, up from only 38 per cent in 2011.
• A 10 per cent improvement in US energy productivity, meaning the US economy is using 10 per cent less energy to power each unit of growth.
• A 4 per cent drop in average retail electricity prices in real terms. In New York, Texas, and Florida, prices have fallen over 10 per cent in that time.
• A 12 per cent jump in total gas production, and a 79 per cent surge in shale gas extraction since 2011.
• A 12 per cent improvement in vehicle fuel economy, propelled by federal fuel efficiency standards.

The 2017 Factbook provides an update through the end of 2016, highlighting a number of key developments that occurred as the long-term transformation of US energy continues to unfold. The rapid pace of renewable energy deployment accelerated, consumption and export of domestic natural gas hit record levels, and the economy grew more energy efficient than ever.

Utilities ramped up investments in electric and natural gas transmission, helping create a more reliable energy system. In the face of all this change, the people of the USA are enjoying lower energy bills and are directing less of their household income to energy spending than at any other time on record. The Sustainable Energy in America Factbook provides a detailed look at the state of US energy and the role that a range of new technologies are playing in reshaping the industry. TheFactbook is researched and produced by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and commissioned by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. As always, the goal is to offer simple, accurate benchmarks on the status and contributions of new sustainable energy technologies.

The authors also highlight that the book:

• Aims to augment existing, reputable sources of information on US energy
• Focusses on renewables, efficiency, and natural gas
• Fills important data gaps in certain areas (for example, investment flows by sector, contribution of distributed energy, etc.)
• Contains data through the end of 2016 wherever possible
• Employs Bloomberg New Energy Finance data in most cases, augmented by EIA, FERC, ACEEE, LBNL, and other sources where necessary
• Contains the latest information on new energy technology costs.

Source: http://www.windpowerengineering.com/