Sustainable Energy Coalition Outlines How Renewable Energy Technologies Can Eliminate Energy Imports, Phase Out Nuclear Power and Slash Greenhouse Gases

Sustainable Energy Coalition, January 2, 2006

Washington, DC. The Sustainable Energy Coalition today issued the second set of five "factoids" in what will be an ongoing series documenting the potential of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies to displace fossil fuels and nuclear power. The "factoids" consist of summaries of recent studies and reports issued by a wide variety of academic, governmental, business, and non-profit organizations which examine the near and mid-term potential of sustainable energy technologies.

The factoids are being compiled as part of a broader effort to demonstrate that it is technically and economically feasible for the mix of sustainable energy technologies to:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a level consistent with a world-wide goal of global climate stabilization (assumes curbing U.S. CO2 emissions by 60-80% from current levels by mid-century);
   
   
2. Eliminate U.S. energy imports (i.e., oil and natural gas - now 58% and 15% respectively), while reducing overall domestic consumption of oil and natural gas; and
   
   
3. Phase out the current generation of nuclear power.

The first ten factoids in the series are:

• Factoid #1 -- Biomass Could Provide 15% of U.S. Energy Demand by 2030
  
  
• Factoid #2 -- Annual Installations of Rooftop Photovoltaics Could Power Hundreds of Thousands of Homes and Businesses by 2010
  
  
• Factoid #3 -- Wind Power Could Generate More Than Enough Sustainable Electricity to Meet Global Energy Needs
  
  
• Factoid #4 -- Biomass Could Provide At Least 12 Percent of California's Electricity Needs
  
  
• Factoid #5 -- Untapped Geothermal Resources Could Provide 25,000 MW of Electrical Generating Capacity
  
  
• Factoid #6 -- The U.S. can eliminate oil use in a few decades
  
  
• Factoid #7 -- The Northeast has enough efficiency resources to slow and eventually halt growth in electricity demand.
  
  
• Factoid #8 -- Windpower could generate 20% of electricity by 2020, and renewable fuels can largely replace gasoline by 2050.
  
  
• Factoid #9 -- California can satisfy 33% of its electricity supply needs with renewable energy by 2020 with little or no increase in electric rates.
  
  
• Factoid #10 -- The Western U.S. could reduce electricity use by 20% from projected levels by 2020.

The full texts can be found at: http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/market/business/viewstory?id=41099