Renewable & Alternative Fuels
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The concentration of ethanol in the U.S. gasoline supply was nearly 10% in 2011 and in the first eight months of 2012 ›
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Canada Week: Integrated electric grid improves reliability for United States, Canada ›
EIA's latest Short-Term Energy Outlook for renewables ›
EIA's monthly biodiesel statistics ›
Participation in green pricing and net metering programs rises›
U.S. renewable electricity capacity and generation ›
Energy In Brief Articles
How much of our electricity is generated from renewable sources?
U.S. power plants used renewable energy sources — water (hydroelectric), wood, wind, organic waste, geothermal, and sun — to generate about 13% of our electricity in 2011.
What are renewable portfolio standards and how do they affect generation of electricity from renewable sources?
Renewable portfolio standards are policies designed to increase electricity generation from renewable resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Many States have their own renewable portfolio standards, although currently there is no program at the National level. States with renewable portfolio programs have seen an increase in the amount of electricity generated from renewable fuels.
How much of the world's electricity supply is generated from wind?
Worldwide wind power generation exceeded 250 billion kilowatthours in 2009, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of over 22 million average households in the United States. Wind generation increased by about 20% from 2008 to 2009, and has more than tripled since 2004. This growth is mostly due to capacity increases in the United States, China, India, and Western Europe.
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Renewable Energy Explained
What is renewable energy?
Unlike fossil fuels, which are exhaustible, renewable energy sources regenerate and can be sustained indefinitely. The five renewable sources used most often are biomass, water (hydropower), geothermal, wind, and solar.
Renewable energy incentives
Investment in and use of renewable energy is both encouraged and required by a range of state and federal government incentives and legislation.
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Features
Solar Photovoltaic Cell/Module Shipments Report 2011
Released September 26, 2012
Total shipments of PV modules were up nearly 43 percent in 2011 from the 2010 level, hitting a new record high of 3,772,075 peak kilowatts.
Monthly Biodiesel Production Report
Released October 31, 2012
The Monthly Biodiesel Production Report provides data on operations of the U.S. biodiesel industry.
Biodiesel and fuel ethanol statistics
Released October 25, 2012
The most recent monthly and annual overview statistics for fuel ethanol and biodiesel, published in the Monthly Energy Review.
What's New in Renewable & Alternative Fuels
Wind energy tax credit set to expire at the end of 2012
November 21, 2012
Utility-scale installations lead solar photovoltaic growth
October 31, 2012
New EIA data show total grid-connected photovoltaic solar capacity
October 24, 2012
Survey Forms, Changes & Announcements
Renewable and Alternate Fuels Survey Forms and Instructions ›