While some political forces in the U.S. still press for funding more nuclear power more, renewable energy production has exceeded nuclear during the first three months of 2011.
It may even soon compete with domestic oil production, since current figures show renewables produce 77.15 percent of crude oil production (domestic one).
The renewable resources in question are biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar power, hydro, wind power. All of these generated 2.245 quadrilion BTUs of energy, which is more or less equal to 11.73 percent of the country’s entire energy production, surpassing nuclear by 5.65 percent.
Solar and wind power have grown since last year by 104.8 and 40.3 percent, respectively. They’re closely followed by hydropower with 28.7 percent and geothermal with 5.8 percent.
Given these figures, investing in nuclear power may seem a stupid move, but the industry in that sector is so big that it can’t be stopped overnight. The same is true for oil and all the other traditional ways of producing energy. Nuclear power in itself is not emitting any greenhouse gas, but it’s risky. Oil, on the other hand, is at the opposite pole, still harmful in all situations. But I guess you already knew that.
