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Renewable Energy Sources Surpassed Coal in the U.S. in 2019

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday May 31 2020, @02:42PM   
from the the-king-is-dead dept.

takyon writes:

135-year-long streak is over: US renewable sources topped coal in 2019

Two weeks ago, we covered a US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projection that renewable wind, solar, and hydroelectric power would top coal for total electricity generation in 2020. That was particularly believable given that renewables had beat coal in daily generation every day going back to March 24. As it happens, that daily streak finally came to an end this week, as coal picked up amid rising demand and a couple low days for wind. Coal likely topped renewables on Tuesday, although it's possible that rooftop solar generation (not included in EIA's daily data) extended the run until Wednesday.

But the EIA also released some numbers Thursday that highlight a related and interesting piece of trivia: if you include energy use beyond the electric sector and all types of renewable energy, renewables actually beat out coal last year. And to find the last time that was true, you have to go all the way back to the 1880s.

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Original Submission

• that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @03:38PM (4 children)

  by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @03:38PM (#1001388)

  The framing of this statement makes it all but worthless. The only assertion that is valid and complete is this: the total amount of renewable¹ energy usage in 2019 across all sectors², when expressed as heat-equivalent imperial units of work, surpasses the total amount of coal³ usage.

  What they left out of that thesis is this:

  1. here, renewable includes biomass and wood, so this is not synonymous with climate-change friendly
  2. which is the only noteworthy thing. Renewables already surpassed coal in many individual sectors years earlier (transportation and residential haven't used coal for decades)
  3. here, petroleum and gas-based fuels are completely ignored; they both account for more energy usage than renewables and coal combined

  Starting Score:	0		points
  Moderation		+1
  Informative=1, Total=1
  Extra 'Informative' Modifier		0
  Total Score:		1

• Re:that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. Re:that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @03:49PM (1 child)

  by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @03:49PM (#1001391)

  "No administration has done what I’ve done. I just left Montana, and I looked at those trains and they’re loaded up with clean coal — beautiful clean coal. And those trains were empty two years ago. They were empty; they were dying. Nobody’s done what I’ve done."

  Parent

  • Re:that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. (Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Sunday May 31 2020, @04:28PM

    by c0lo (156) on Sunday May 31 2020, @04:28PM (#1001407) Journal

    Righto, one of the "hold my beer" moments.
    Now those trains are loaded... and still dying.

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

    Parent

• Re:that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @06:25PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 31 2020, @06:25PM (#1001452)

  Shhh, we need a feel- good moment in these depressing times

  Parent

• Re:that's coal only, not all fossil fuels. (Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Monday June 01 2020, @07:34PM

  by cmdrklarg (5048) on Monday June 01 2020, @07:34PM (#1001841)

  Biomass is just fine; the biomass was already part of the carbon cycle. It's the dug up coal and pumped oil that add more carbon to the environment.

  --
  The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.

  Parent