As countries worldwide increasingly adopt renewable energy sources, the United States lags, primarily due to its preference for gas over cleaner alternatives.
Despite the growing momentum towards sustainability seen internationally, the U.S. appears to be struggling to match the pace of this transition.
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US Faces Energy Transition Challenges Amid Global Shift
According to the annual global electricity review by energy think tank Ember, the US is witnessing a decline in the use of fossil fuel-fired power plants, suggesting a potential peak in electricity generation and greenhouse gas emissions in 2023.
The Verge reported that this pivotal moment signifies a significant shift in global energy dynamics. Renewable sources accounted for a record 30 percent of electricity production globally last year, primarily driven by solar and wind power expansion.
Despite projections indicating a 2 percent decrease in fossil fuel-powered electricity in 2024, the US's transition to cleaner energy sources needs to catch up, raising concerns about its commitment to combating climate change.
Dave Jones, Ember's insights director, conveyed in an email statement that reducing power sector emissions is now unavoidable.
He highlighted 2023 as a pivotal moment in energy history, indicating a significant turning point. However, Jones emphasized that the rate of progress hinges on the ongoing momentum of the renewables revolution.
The transition towards renewable energy could be accelerating faster if it weren't for the United States's influence. Despite being the largest gas producer globally, the US consumed unprecedented quantities last year, impeding the global decline in electricity generation from gas observed by Ember in 2023.
Excluding the US, other economies collectively reduced their gas-powered electricity generation by 62 terawatt hours compared to the previous year. However, during the same period, the US significantly increased its gas-based electricity generation by 115 terawatt hours.
One significant contributing factor to this issue is the United States' tendency to replace aging coal-powered plants, known for their high carbon emissions, with gas-fired plants instead of cleaner energy alternatives.
According to Jones, this shift represents a transition from one fossil fuel source to another. After two decades of heavily relying on gas-powered plants, the US faces a substantial challenge in transitioning towards a genuinely clean power system.
Ember reports that the United States obtains only 23 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, which is lower than the global average of 30 percent.
IEA Projections and Global Renewable Commitments
Ember's findings align closely with projections made by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which declared the shift towards clean energy " inevitable " in October.
This significant advancement could propel global renewable electricity to reach 60 percent by the decade's end, a substantial leap from less than 20 percent observed in 2000.
