Americans Used Less Energy And More Renewables in 2009, Study Shows

U.S. energy use fell in 2009 and Americans used more wind and solar power and less electricity generated by burning coal and natural gas, according to a survey by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the laboratory said energy use fell from 99.2 quadrillion BTUs (quads) in 2008 to 94.6 quadrillion BTUs in 2009, a drop of nearly 5 percent. Laboratory analysts said that while some of the decline was due to the economic recession, the drop also came about because Americans are using more efficient vehicles and appliances. The laboratory said that electricity generation from solar arrays, wind turbines, geothermal wells, and hydroelectric dams all grew from 2008 to 2009, with wind power showing the most dramatic increase, from .51 quads in 2008 to .70 quads last year. “The increase in renewables is a really good story,” said A.J. Simon, an energy analyst at the lab. “It’s a result of very good incentives and technological advances.”