A 2.4% decline in U.S. gross domestic product in
2009, with bigger impacts on energy-intensive industries,
contributed to a 7% drop in energy-related carbon dioxide
emissions, according to DOE's Energy Information
Administration (EIA). A shift to less
carbon-intensive energy sources also helped.
Today’s challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while meeting the country’s steadily rising demand for electricity make it essential for legislatures and public utility commissions to shift their focus toward mechanisms that make demand reduction as profitable for utilities as increasing supply. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
55 of the world's 65 largest oil producing countries are past their production peaks and in decline.
Public policies such as appliance and vehicle efficiency standards and building codes are responsible for at least 20% of the improvement in the US's energy intensity--energy use per unit of GDP. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
In 2007, renewable sources of energy accounted for about 7% of total U.S. energy consumption and 9.4% of electricity generation. (Source: EIA)
Electricity generation accounts for about 40% of total U.S. energy consumption. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
