The U.S. Department of the Interior announced on April 28
that it has approved the first U.S. offshore wind farm, the
130-turbine Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound. The
agency is requiring additional binding measures to minimize
any adverse impacts of construction and operation.
The United States makes up 5% of the world's population and accounts for 25% of total energy use.
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)
In 2007, the average monthly residential electricity consumption was 936 kWh. (Source: EIA)
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)
