01-31-2017, 10:28 PM
I am a huge fan of expanding investment in things like alternative energy, but the above link deserves some context.
US Primary Energy Consumption by Source and Sector 2015:
![[Image: consumption-by-source-and-sector-2015.jpg]](http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/images/charts/consumption-by-source-and-sector-2015.jpg)
So, 79.4% from fossi fuels vs 9.7% from renewables, about half of which comes from hydroelectric.
Even looking purely at electricity, we're still talking about over 60% from fossil fuels.
![[Image: SNL-Energys-latest-coal-forecast-April-2...entage.jpg]](http://www.mining.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/SNL-Energys-latest-coal-forecast-April-2010-2015-US-net-generation-by-fuel-source-percentage.jpg)
So let's cheer on the growth of solar, by all means, but try to keep it in perspective as well. We're a long way from being 100% renewables, and without effective grid-scale storage, we won't get there at all.
US Primary Energy Consumption by Source and Sector 2015:
So, 79.4% from fossi fuels vs 9.7% from renewables, about half of which comes from hydroelectric.
Even looking purely at electricity, we're still talking about over 60% from fossil fuels.
So let's cheer on the growth of solar, by all means, but try to keep it in perspective as well. We're a long way from being 100% renewables, and without effective grid-scale storage, we won't get there at all.