The latest government energy report seems to provide plenty of good news for some of our favorite alternative fuel sources. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) August 2013 Short-Term Energy Outlook shows that wind, solar, ethanol and biodiesel productions are all up for the year, according to comments from EIA’s Administrator Adam Sieminski:
Renewables:
“Wind power generation is expected to grow by 19% this year as capacity that came on line at the end of 2012 is available to produce electricity for the entire year. Wind generation is forecast to grow by 7% in 2014.”
“EIA expects continued robust growth in solar power generation, although the amount of utility-scale generation remains a small share of total U.S. generation at about 0.2% for this year.”
U.S. Liquid Biofuels:
“U.S. ethanol production has been increasing since April, and is projected to average 870,000 barrels per day this year and 920,000 barrels per day in 2014. Biodiesel production has also been rising this year and reached 85,000 barrels per day in May. Biodiesel output is expected to average 82,000 barrels per day this year.”
It’s a good thing renewable energy is doing so well, because the EIA also reports that petroleum oil prices, and consequently gasoline prices, are also on the rise. Nice to know alternatives are there to give us some choices.