Hydropower ‘largest energy source in US last year’

Hydropower was the largest source of renewable energy in the US last year. In total, renewable energy accounted for 9.8% of total domestic energy use, the highest since the 1930s […]

Hydropower was the largest source of renewable energy in the US last year.

In total, renewable energy accounted for 9.8% of total domestic energy use, the highest since the 1930s – when wood was a larger contributor, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Wood remained the second largest source, with recent growth driven partly by demand for pellets.

The latest statistics show renewable energy use rose by an average of 5% per year between 2001 and 2014. It was partly due to the growing use of wind, solar and biofuels, it said.

“In 2014, slightly more than half of all renewable energy was used to generate electricity. Within the electric power sector, renewable energy accounted for 13% of energy consumed, higher than its consumption share in any other sector,” the EIA stated.

The industrial sector used 24% of the nation’s renewable energy last year while 13% was consumed by the transportation sector.

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