President Obama’s final version of the Clean Power Plan was released last month with great hope and expectations, but also under great scrutiny. Described as “first-ever national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants,” the plan seems like a step in the right direction for U.S. energy efficiency… that is, until you compare it with some other countries’ usage stats.
Hydroelectric Power, Electric Cars, and Energy Efficiency
No one would make the claim that America is the greenest country in the world; it’s beyond common knowledge that our energy consumption is at record highs and our efforts to conserve much of anything fall short of planet-wide averages. Perhaps a surprise, then, is that one area that is greatly succeeding in energy efficiency endeavors is Norway; the country is number one in hydroelectric power, with 96% of its power coming from these plants.
Though smaller in population than the US and China, two population giants, Norway has made great energy efficiency strides. They produce a ton of fossil fuels, oil and natural gas, within their borders, but export the products rather than utilizing the power source for themselves. Additionally, “its carbon dioxide emissions at about 36 million metric tons last year were just a fraction of America’s, at nearly 5.1 billion, and China’s, at 8.2 billion.” Clearly, they’re doing something right over there that we have yet to get a grasp on.
Many Americans have concerned themselves with the production and use of electric or battery-powered cars, and while their intentions are good, they can’t make as much of an effort as people imagine when the country’s power grid is in its current, non-sustainable state. Norway, meanwhile, is continuing their earth-conscious trend when it comes to automobiles: “To date this year, 1 out of every 5 cars sold has been battery-powered. Electric cars now account for nearly 3 percent of total cars in Norway, whereas they are a just fraction of a percent elsewhere.” Clearly the cost is not deterring these people, whose electric bills are indeed higher, but whose efforts to conserve resources are admirable.
For more information on home and for commercial energy efficiency, get in touch with Tim Kyle Electric.
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Electric cars are only as green as their power grid
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