Report: Americans Using More Clean Energy
Date: 8/27/2010
Investors in clean energy technologies may take heart from a recent report showing that Americans are continuing to get more of their power from sources like wind and the sun.

According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, U.S. fossil fuel consumption - coal, natural gas and oil - dropped considerably between 2008 and 2009. This was largely due to the recession, which saw fewer people driving to and from jobs, and less activity among factories and businesses.

"The reduction in the use of natural gas, coal and petroleum is commensurate with a reduction in carbon emissions. Simply said, people are doing less stuff. Therefore, they're burning less fuel," said A.J. Simon, a systems analyst for the laboratory.

In total, the laboratory reported that Americans used 94.6 quadrillion British thermal units of energy in 2009, down from 99.2 quadrillion in 2008. Energy use was reportedly down to varying degrees in areas ranging from residential to commercial and industrial.

One significant increase came from the wind energy sector, which accounted for .70 quadrillion BTUs of power in 2009, up from .51 in 2008.