Biomass generates electricity, or biopower, from sources like wood, agricultural residues, and urban waste. In the US, it accounts for 1.2% of electricity.
Pumped storage plants for hydroelectric power in the United States were primarily built between 1960 and 1990. There have been no new projects since 2012, but three new ones have been proposed, potentially adding 2.6 GW to the existing 22 GW capacity. The largest facility is the Bath County Pumped Storage Station in Virginia, with 2.9 GW.
In the United States, ethanol is mainly produced in the Midwest from corn, with Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois leading in capacity. Ethanol is used as a fuel additive, with E85 being a high-level ethanol-gasoline blend used in flex-fuel vehicles. Biodiesel, made from vegetable oils and animal fats, is mainly produced in states with these feedstocks. Renewable diesel, chemically identical to petroleum diesel, is primarily used in California to meet emissions regulations.
Coal played a significant role in the US, generating half of the nation’s electricity in 1920 and maintaining that share for decades. However, aging coal plants are being retired due to competition from efficient natural gas and renewable energy sources, as well as state climate policies. This shift reflects growing concerns about cost and carbon emissions.
In the United States, geothermal power plants are predominantly located in six western states due to significant tectonic activity. In 2022, California housed 72% of this capacity, generating 6% of its electricity from geothermal power. The Geysers project in northern California is the world’s largest geothermal array.
In 2022, the U.S. had 92 nuclear power plants generating 18% of total electricity. The industry, once a major player, declined due to high costs, long construction timelines, decreased demand, accidents, regulations, and market deregulation. There’s renewed interest in nuclear power to combat climate change, with the first new plant in 30 years, though debates continue on cost, safety, and alternative energy sources.
As of January 2023, 575 utility-scale biopower plants were operational globally, with a total capacity of over 29,000 MW, less than 0.5% of worldwide power generation. An additional 6,000 MW are under construction. China is believed to significantly underreport its true biopower capacity, perhaps as high as 22,000 MW, primarily from agricultural residues and waste-to-energy facilities. Brazil, another major player, relies largely on sugarcane byproducts.
Biopower is the production of electricity from biomass-derived fuels, with significant growth in Brazil due to sugarcane-based ethanol byproducts, while in certain regions like the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, waste-to-energy facilities are used due to land constraints and landfill opposition.
In 2022, the United States saw a significant rise in solar power generation, with 5730 utility-scale solar PV plants and 13 solar thermal plants producing 146 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, equal to 3.4% of total utility-scale generation. This growth traces back to the 2000s, marked by falling solar system costs, enhanced efficiency, and government incentives like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In 2022, the US had about 4,000 petroleum-burning generators, providing only 0.6% of the nation’s electricity due to lower efficiency and higher costs than alternatives. These smaller generators are mainly used for peak power and emergency backup, with policies since 1978 discouraging their use to reduce oil dependence for national security.
Biomass generates electricity, or biopower, from sources like wood, agricultural residues, and urban waste. In the US, it accounts for 1.2% of electricity.
Pumped storage plants for hydroelectric power in the United States were primarily built between 1960 and 1990. There have been no new projects since 2012, but three new ones have been proposed, potentially adding 2.6 GW to the existing 22 GW capacity. The largest facility is the Bath County Pumped Storage Station in Virginia, with 2.9 GW.
In the United States, ethanol is mainly produced in the Midwest from corn, with Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois leading in capacity. Ethanol is used as a fuel additive, with E85 being a high-level ethanol-gasoline blend used in flex-fuel vehicles. Biodiesel, made from vegetable oils and animal fats, is mainly produced in states with these feedstocks. Renewable diesel, chemically identical to petroleum diesel, is primarily used in California to meet emissions regulations.
Coal played a significant role in the US, generating half of the nation’s electricity in 1920 and maintaining that share for decades. However, aging coal plants are being retired due to competition from efficient natural gas and renewable energy sources, as well as state climate policies. This shift reflects growing concerns about cost and carbon emissions.
In the United States, geothermal power plants are predominantly located in six western states due to significant tectonic activity. In 2022, California housed 72% of this capacity, generating 6% of its electricity from geothermal power. The Geysers project in northern California is the world’s largest geothermal array.
In 2022, the U.S. had 92 nuclear power plants generating 18% of total electricity. The industry, once a major player, declined due to high costs, long construction timelines, decreased demand, accidents, regulations, and market deregulation. There’s renewed interest in nuclear power to combat climate change, with the first new plant in 30 years, though debates continue on cost, safety, and alternative energy sources.
As of January 2023, 575 utility-scale biopower plants were operational globally, with a total capacity of over 29,000 MW, less than 0.5% of worldwide power generation. An additional 6,000 MW are under construction. China is believed to significantly underreport its true biopower capacity, perhaps as high as 22,000 MW, primarily from agricultural residues and waste-to-energy facilities. Brazil, another major player, relies largely on sugarcane byproducts.
Biopower is the production of electricity from biomass-derived fuels, with significant growth in Brazil due to sugarcane-based ethanol byproducts, while in certain regions like the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, waste-to-energy facilities are used due to land constraints and landfill opposition.
In 2022, the United States saw a significant rise in solar power generation, with 5730 utility-scale solar PV plants and 13 solar thermal plants producing 146 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, equal to 3.4% of total utility-scale generation. This growth traces back to the 2000s, marked by falling solar system costs, enhanced efficiency, and government incentives like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In 2022, the US had about 4,000 petroleum-burning generators, providing only 0.6% of the nation’s electricity due to lower efficiency and higher costs than alternatives. These smaller generators are mainly used for peak power and emergency backup, with policies since 1978 discouraging their use to reduce oil dependence for national security.