Explore the geography and technology of new electricity generation in the United States in 2021
March 20, 2023
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The rapid increase in primary energy use in the twentieth century is a hallmark of the modern world. But one form of energy stands out among all the rest: electricity. Energy use from all sources in the United States increased fourfold from 1920 to 2021. But the end use of electricity increased more than one hundred-fold over that same period, much of it generated from fossil fuels. The clear preference by society for electricity relative to other forms of energy is due to its unique physical attributes, which were translated into superior services in illumination and communication, and to unprecedented increases in the productivity of capital, labor, and raw materials in the manufacturing sector.
The modern wind energy industry took off in the early 1980s in Southern California due largely to federal and state policies that sought to reduce dependence on imported oil by encouraging renewable sources. At about the same time, Denmark, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands launched national wind energy programs. The United States and Europe remain centers of
Archaeological evidence suggests that Native Americans used geothermal energy for cooking and warmth as early as 10,000 years ago. Greeks and Romans are famous for their use of hot springs for bathing and medicinal purposes as early as the 3rd century BCE. The first modern, at scale geothermal power plant was the Wairakei facility located in the Taupō volcanic zone
Germany and Spain launched the modern solar photovoltaic (PV) industry with power plants coming online in the mid-2000s in the 20 to 60 MW range. They were quickly followed by China, the United States, South Africa, Japan, India, Germany, Turkey, France, and other European countries. In recent years China has accounted for nearly one-third of new capacity additions in the
Like every major American city, Boston runs on fossil fuels. More than 70% of the energy used in the city is in the form of natural gas and fuels refined from oil. Natural gas is the dominant fuel used in to heat space and water in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, while the bulk of transportation services provided by commercial
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The rapid increase in primary energy use in the twentieth century is a hallmark of the modern world. But one form of energy stands out among all the rest: electricity. Energy use from all sources in the United States increased fourfold from 1920 to 2021. But the end use of electricity increased more than one hundred-fold over that same period, much of it generated from fossil fuels. The clear preference by society for electricity relative to other forms of energy is due to its unique physical attributes, which were translated into superior services in illumination and communication, and to unprecedented increases in the productivity of capital, labor, and raw materials in the manufacturing sector.
The modern wind energy industry took off in the early 1980s in Southern California due largely to federal and state policies that sought to reduce dependence on imported oil by encouraging renewable sources. At about the same time, Denmark, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands launched national wind energy programs. The United States and Europe remain centers of
Archaeological evidence suggests that Native Americans used geothermal energy for cooking and warmth as early as 10,000 years ago. Greeks and Romans are famous for their use of hot springs for bathing and medicinal purposes as early as the 3rd century BCE. The first modern, at scale geothermal power plant was the Wairakei facility located in the Taupō volcanic zone
Germany and Spain launched the modern solar photovoltaic (PV) industry with power plants coming online in the mid-2000s in the 20 to 60 MW range. They were quickly followed by China, the United States, South Africa, Japan, India, Germany, Turkey, France, and other European countries. In recent years China has accounted for nearly one-third of new capacity additions in the
Like every major American city, Boston runs on fossil fuels. More than 70% of the energy used in the city is in the form of natural gas and fuels refined from oil. Natural gas is the dominant fuel used in to heat space and water in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, while the bulk of transportation services provided by commercial
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