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WASHINGTON, DC, US, January 18, 2006 (Refocus
Weekly)
Demand for renewable energy will increase 4.2%
this year in the United States, according to the latest government
forecasts.
Total demand for renewables will grow from 6.040 quadrillion Btu
(quads) in 2005 to 6.295 quads this year. By 2007, it will increase
another 2.4% to 6.444 quads, says the Short Term Energy Outlook
released by the Department of Energy. By comparison, demand for
renewables dropped by 1.3% from 2004 to 2005, from 6.117 to 6.040
quads.
The largest demand will be for hydroelectricity in the power sector,
which will grow 14.4% this year, from 2.569 to 2.940 quads,
following a decline of 3.9% from 2004 to 2005. Into 2007, the
increase will be 1.7%, to 2.991 quads. This year, demand for
geothermal, solar and wind energy in the power sector will grow
1.5%, from 0.454 to 0.461 quads, and then increase 11.5% into 2007
to provide 0.514 quads. From 2004 to 2005, the increase had been
0.7%.
The U.S. DoE classifies only conventional hydroelectric power as a
renewable; pumped storage is not included. Biofuels include fuelwood,
wood byproducts, waste wood, municipal solid waste, manufacturing
process waste, and alcohol fuels.
Total energy demand in the U.S. in both 2006 and 2007 is projected
to increase at an annual rate of 1.4% each year, contributing to
continued market tightness and projected high prices for oil and
natural gas. Prices for crude oil, petroleum and natural gas will
remain high through 2006 before starting to weaken in 2007, with the
benchmark price for crude oil to increase from the average of US$56
per barrel in 2005, to $63 in 2006 and $60 in 2007. Retail regular
gasoline prices, which averaged $2.27 per gallon in 2005, will be
$2.41 this year and $2.33 in 2007.
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