Not Quite 100% Renewable, But Close

According to a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) report, 98.6% of all new energy capacity brought online in the first quarter of 2016 came from renewable energy. It’s not quite 100%, but it’s close. The remaining 1.4% came from natural gas.

We know we can have healthier communities right now and a livable future for kids growing up today. But to get there, we must transform the way we produce and consume energy. That’s got to start with a commitment to 100 percent clean, renewable energy.

Seems like every day there’s another development that points us toward a future entirely powered by renewable energy. Here’s another one: According to a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) report, 98.6% of all new energy capacity brought online in the first quarter of 2016 came from renewable energy. It’s not quite 100%, but it’s close. The remaining 1.4% came from natural gas.

We have a long way to go before clean renewable sources replace dirty fuels — solar and wind currently make up a little over 5% of the total US energy pie. But, it’s trending in the right direction and we can take heart that nearly all the new power sources are pollution-free wind and solar.

It’s still early, but 2016 has been a banner year for the 100% renewable energy movement. Already, we have seen the millionth solar installation come online, and that is projected to double within 2 years.  

While we are thrilled with this progress, we’ve got to keep the pedal to the metal. There isn’t a lot of time to waste in moving from dirty incumbent fuels to 100% clean, renewable energy. But this is an excellent start.

Stay tuned for more updates on the promise and progress toward 100% renewable energy.

Authors
staff | TPIN

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