Energy & Electricity
United States Solar Radiation Map
Fri, 01/08/2010 - 1:31pm — jwarner@wri.org
Solar photovoltaic systems generate electricity using technologies that capture the energy in sunlight. Many parts of the United States—especially the Southwest—have abundant solar resources (see Figure 5, which shows estimates of the average daily total radiation for flat plate solar collectors). Before investing, however, firms should commission a thorough professional study of a specific site’s solar resources. Even if it reveals lower or moderate resources, solar power could still be financially attractive, depending on financial incentives and regulatory context.
United States Wind Resource Map
Fri, 01/08/2010 - 1:27pm — jwarner@wri.org
Wind energy systems generate electricity by using turbines to capture the wind’s energy. Many locations in the United States have good wind resources. Evaluating the quality of the wind resource at a specific site is critical to determining if it is suitable. Before making any investment decision, companies should commission a professional wind study, which evaluates the quality and consistency of a site’s wind resource potential.
Credit: National Renewable Energy Labs and WRI.
Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas Consumption by Country (Top 5) and by Sector, 2007-2008
Fri, 12/11/2009 - 12:44pm — jwarner@wri.org
COAL
The top 25 GHG emitting countries collectively account for approximately 92 percent of global coal consumption (BP, 2009). Coal mining and use is highly concentrated. Five countries account for nearly three-quarters of worldwide consumption. Unlike oil and to some extent natural gas, most coal is consumed domestically.
OIL
Selected Proved Fossil Fuel Reserves and Fossil Fuel Production, 2008
Fri, 12/11/2009 - 12:36pm — jwarner@wri.org
Energy Intensity in 2006 and Fuel Mix in 2007 for Selected Major GHG Emitters
Fri, 12/11/2009 - 12:29pm — jwarner@wri.org
Emissions intensity is a composite indicator of two other major factors contributing to a country’s emissions profile: energy intensity and fuel mix.
New Supercritical and Ultra-Supercritical Coal-Fired Power Plants Installed Annually by Capacity from 1959 to 2007
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 4:29pm — jwarner@wri.org
In 2008, China's National Development and Reform Commission adopted a standard requiring all new coal-fired power plants to be state-of-the-art commercially available or better technology. As a result, today most of the world’s most efficient (supercritical and ultra-supercritical) coal-fired power plants are being built in China.
Comparison of Chinese and U.S. Energy Statistics
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 4:24pm — jwarner@wri.org
Today, each Chinese citizen produces only one-fifth the GHG emissions of an average American consumer, and China still has many unmet energy needs. Most Chinese have a much lower standard of living than the average American. Half the Chinese population has no access to winter heating, and most have limited access to motorized transportation. Therefore, the challenge for China in the short term is to reduce the rate of growth of its GHG emissions as it strives to meet the growing energy demands of its people.
Energy Consumption by Sector in 2007: China, India, Japan, Russia, EU-27, and the United States
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 3:57pm — jwarner@wri.org
China’s energy mix is unusually tilted toward industrial uses, and thus improvements in the industrial sector have large overall impacts.
Chinese Coal Use by Sector in 2006
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 3:54pm — jwarner@wri.org
Over 50 percent of all China’s coal is used in the electric power industry. This electricity powers mainly industry but also households and the service sector.
Average Coal-Fired Power Plant Fleet Efficiency in China and the United States, 1949 to 2006
Mon, 11/09/2009 - 3:53pm — jwarner@wri.org
Improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon intensity in the power sector have been major goals for the Chinese government. This trend contrasts with the United States, where new coal-fired power plants built in the 1980s and 1990s were actually less efficient than those built in the 1970s. While China is still increasing its overall electricity output at a rapid rate - slightly more than one power plant per week - new power plants both add to capacity and replace less efficient, smaller power plants and direct (and very dirty) coal-burning at industrial sites.
