Recently, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the United States released a new annual energy report indicating that, influenced by government initiatives and technological innovations, the generation of solar and wind energy in the U.S. has seen significant growth in recent years. From 2011 to 2012, solar energy generation increased by 49%, and wind energy by 16%. The renewable energy generation in the U.S. continued to grow in 2012, reaching a historic high.
LLNL energy analyst A.J. Simon stated that the steady and rapid growth of renewable energy generation is closely linked to technological innovation and ongoing government policy support. I expect this growth to continue for some time.
The report noted that while this growth is noteworthy, the share of wind and solar energy generation in U.S. electricity consumption remains low, at only about 2% in 2012, which still lags behind countries that are more advanced in renewable energy development. In 2012, the share of wind energy in electricity consumption exceeded 30% in both Denmark and Spain.
Oil and natural gas remain the primary sources of energy consumption in the United States. The ongoing boom in shale gas development has attracted most of the energy investments. Although hydraulic fracturing has always been controversial, the pace of shale gas development in the U.S. is unstoppable.
Simon stated that shale gas has become a major competitor to the development of renewable energy, as its economic viability is unmatched by wind and solar energy. This also brings some uncertainty to the future development of renewable energy in the U.S.
However, Simon believes that while the current share of renewable energy in U.S. energy consumption is not high, its potential is substantial.
Jason Cotrell, head of LLNL's wind turbine technology innovation department, stated: The cost of wind energy is continuously decreasing, and the efficiency of wind turbines is also improving. These are positive developments that will promote the long-term growth of the U.S. wind energy industry.
Jason Cotrell mentioned that recent innovations in wind turbine technology have begun to focus on wind towers, aiming to improve their quality so that they can operate normally in higher altitudes and harsher natural conditions. Enhancing the quality of wind towers will allow wind energy developers to explore more markets, particularly in remote areas where wind conditions are favorable but erecting wind towers is challenging.
Cotrell expressed her firm belief that wind energy has the potential to play a key role in the future energy landscape of the U.S., and that the country is reaping increasing benefits from wind energy development.
