Energy in the United States Electricity, Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy

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Energy in the United StatesElectricity, Nuclear
Energy, Renewable Energy

• Summary report by Sarah Lahr
• Sustainable Air Quality
• 2/11/02

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History of Electricity

• Electricity has been a power source for only
  about 100 years old
• Edison wanted to "make electric light so cheap
  that only the rich will be able to burn candles"
• From 1890 to 1910 many industries started using
  electricity including mining, textiles, steel,
  and printing
• FDRs Rural Electrification Administration (REA)
  in 1935 brought electricity to rural America
  after the Depression
• Advantages clean, flexible, controllable, safe,
  effortless, and instantly available.

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Electricity Usage

• High usage of electricity by the residential
  sector
• Since 1949, electricity usage has increased 1,315
  percent (population has only increased 89
  percent)
• Per-capita usage has increased 7 times since 1949

Electric Utility Retail Sales by Sector
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Source of Electricity
Electricity Net Generation by Source for 2000

• Main source of electricity comes from coal
• Natural gas, petroleum, and nuclear power are
  also major contributors

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Non-utility Electricity Increase
Electric Power Sector Net Summer Capability

• Non-utility power producers are increasing,
  showing less regulation and more competition
  between companies
• Percentage of non-utility electricity consumed
  increased from 20 percent to 26 percent from 1999
  to 2000

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Cost of Electricity to Consumer
Consumer Prices for Electricity, Natural Gas,
and Motor Gasoline for 2000

• Cost of electricity is high because it accounts
  for both the cost to generate the electricity and
  to move it to the point of use
• Most of the energy is lost in the form of heat
• For every three units of energy that are
  converted to create electricity, only about one
  unit actually reaches the end user.

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Nuclear Energy

• The energy source with truly modern roots
• The concept Controlled fission of heavy elements
  releases large amounts of energy
• Nuclear energy was originally viewed as a way to
  avoid energy dependence on those countries from
  which the United States imported crude oil

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Nuclear Generation Units
Number of Operable Units

• Peak number of reactor units was reached in 1990
  with 112 units in operation
• Reductions in demand due to the accident at Three
  Mile Island in 1979, concerns about safety, and
  the high cost of building the plants
• Cancellations of plant orders and shutdowns of
  plants increased
• Currently only 104 operable reactor units
• No new plants are expected to be built

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Renewable Energy
Energy Consumption by Source

• Until recently, renewable energy was the only
  form of energy
• It still accounts for only a small amount of the
  total energy consumed
• Renewable energy accounts for about the same
  amount as nuclear energy

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Renewable Energy Water

• Watermills have been used for milling grain,
  pumping water, working metal, sawing, and
  crushing chalk or sugar cane
• Currently, watermills are mainly used to generate
  electricity
• River water is held back by dams and used to run
  turbines which produce energy

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Renewable Energy Biomass

• The main sources of biomass energy include wood
  and waste. Other sources, however, include
  methanol, ethanol, peat, agricultural waste,
  straw, tires, landfill gas, fish oil, and others
• Wood accounted for almost half of the renewable
  energy in 2000

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Renewable Energy Other Sources

• Geothermal energy accounted for 5 of the
  renewable energy in 2000
• Solar and wind energy do not contribute as much
  as most people think. In 2001, they contributed
  for only about 1 of the renewable energy
• Despite its minimal contribution, wind energy
  production has increased 113 percent since 1989

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Summary

• Electricity is a major energy source, despite its
  higher cost, because it is cleaner and safer than
  fossil fuels
• Nuclear energy is not used very much because of
  safety concerns and the high cost of production
• Renewable energy continues to contribute a small
  amount of energy, especially water and its
  ability to generate electricity using dams

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What I Learned

• These reports gave me a better understanding of
  how the different energy sources related to each
  other, especially those used to generate
  electricity
• It was interesting to see that world affairs and
  economics played a big part in the advancement of
  energy technology
• The distribution of electricity to rural America
  was halted due to the Depression
• Nuclear energy research was postponed until the
  end of World War II.