The Current Level of Alternative Energy Use
The graph below summarizes the use of alternative energy sources versus fossil fuel sources by the United States. The data, taken from the journal Science 285:680, are for the year 1997.
Although it is obvious from the pie chart above that renewable energy sources make up only a small percentage of the United States' energy budget, thankfully the global trend in energy use is toward sustainable energy sources, as illustrated in the table below:
Trends in Global Energy Use, 1990-1998
|
Energy Source
|
Annual Rate of Growth (%)
|
|
Wind power
|
22 |
|
Solar photovoltaics
|
16 |
|
Geothermal power
|
4 |
|
Hydroelectric power
|
2 |
|
Oil
|
2 |
|
Natural gas
|
2 |
|
Nuclear power
|
1 |
|
Coal
|
0 |
Data from State of the World 2000 (Brown, 17), published by The Worldwatch Institute
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