Dec 15 - The Oregonian, Oregon


The latest U.S. government outlook on energy use concludes that renewables, natural gas and conservation will cover increases in energy demand through 2035, but carbon dioxide emissions will continue to grow absent new policies to restrict them.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration gave a first glimpse at its Annual Energy Outlook for 2010 on Monday. Some highlights from the EIA's "reference case":

-- Fossil fuels will continue to provide about 78 percent of all the energy used in 2035. -- Per person carbon dioxide emissions will fall about 0.6 percent a year. But given population growth, carbon dioxide emissions will increase about 0.3 percent per year, rising from 5,814 million metric tons in 2008 to 6,320 million metric tons in 2035. -- Biofuels, mainly ethanol and biodiesel, will cover all the growth in consumption of liquid fuels, reducing reliance on imported oil. By 2035, ethanol will account for more than 17 percent of gasoline consumption. -- Renewables will meet 41 percent of total electricity generation growth, rising from 9.1 percent of electricity generated in 2008 to 17 percent by 2035. -- Power from biomass, including power from wood waste, will rise most sharply through 2035, with solar still accounting for a small fraction of renewable power. -- Coal and nuclear power will decline as sources of electricity.

The full report is scheduled to be released early next year.

-- Scott Learn

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