April 2017

In the power sector, utilities are shifting to clean energy because the economic case is so compelling, and the trends are clear:

Over the last five years in the US, the fossil fuel industry has retired more electricity generating capacity than they’ve added—which means they’re closing more power plants than they’re opening. This has resulted in a removal of about 20 gigawatts worth of electricity from fossil fuel sources (that’s about 2% of our total

capacity here in the U.S.), while wind and solar energy have added a combined 47 gigawatts over the same time period (that’s about 5% of our total installed capacity).

This trend holds true over the past decade as well. Since 2006, clean energy has dominated net capacity additions to the national electric grid, with an 81% share of additions versus only 19% from fossil fuels.

The growth of wind and solar has not been linear—it’s been exponential. Both of these technologies have undergone massive levels of innovation that continue to drive costs down at dramatic rates. The power industry is changing in big ways as we become less and less dependent on fossil fuels and embrace the advantages of solar energy and wind power.

Sources:

U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Annual 2006-2015

Bloomberg New Energy Finance, U.S. Wind and Solar Generation Capacity

These days, there’s good reason to think seriously about buying an electric car.

First off, picture this: no more gas stations, transmission repairs, oil changes, or timing belt failures. There are far fewer things to break down, which means lower maintenance costs and fewer trips to the mechanic.

As far as everyday “fueling” costs go? Here in the U.S., it costs about half as much to drive an electric car. That’s because electricity is less expensive than gasoline and electric cars (or EVs) are far more efficient vehicles. It’s roughly equivalent to fueling a conventional car with gas at $1/gallon.

What about the overall environmental impact of these zero-emission vehicles? Over the course of its lifetime (from cradle-to-grave), an EV today causes 54% less carbon pollution than a comparable gas vehicle. And that number’s only going to get better as our grid continues to source more of its power from clean energy like wind and solar.

So that’s just a few reasons why electric vehicles are generating so much interest, and are changing transportation as we know it.

Month: April 2017

The power industry is changing

April 28, 2017

Why drive an electric car

April 20, 2017