Coal on the slide as renewables top 11 per cent of US power mix

The renewable energy revolution under way in the US appears to be gathering pace according to new figures from the Energy Information Administration suggesting that zero carbon energy sources are successfully replacing fossil fuel-based forms of energy production.

According to the Administration’s July Electric Power Monthly report, green energy generation accounted for 11.1 per cent of total electricity production in the country between April 2008 and 2009.
Input from hydroelectric sources rose 18.4 per cent to make up seven per cent of the total, while other renewables such as solar, wind, biomass and geothermal sources now account for 4.1 per cent. Wind power was the biggest success story in the renewables sector with net generation increasing by over a third.

The figures compared with a 13.9 per cent fall in coal-fired generation, although it still provided 46.1 per cent of the US’ electric power and remains the biggest single source.

Overall, however, net electricity generation in the country fell by 5 per cent over the year as industrial production slumped by 12.5 per cent, according to data from the Federal Reserve.

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