NRDC releases Third Annual Energy Report, celebrates gains in renewable energy reliance

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently released its Third Annual Energy Report, titled “A Tectonic Shift in America’s Energy Landscape,” marking historic gains for wind, solar and other renewable sources in the country’s energy market.

“The economic and environmental performance of America’s energy systems has never been better, and the single most important contributor to these positive trends is energy efficiency, the largest and least expensive way to meet the nation’s energy needs,” NRDC Energy Program Co-Director Ralph Cavanagh said. “However, America can, should, and must do more to increase our efforts to help stabilize the world’s climate.”

The report celebrates two historic advances in combatting climate change: the federal Clean Power Plan and California’s SB 350, which is the world’s strongest legislation in terms of energy efficiency, renewable energy and transportation electrification. It also notes that as of the end of 2014, the country was relying more heavily on renewable energy than ever before.

“The amount of renewable energy from wind turbines, solar panels, and other technologies now equals roughly 10 percent of the nation’s energy use,” said NRDC California Energy Project Legal Director Sierra Martinez, who co-wrote the report. “That’s like powering the world’s largest economy for more than a month without using any pollution-spewing coal, oil or natural gas, and without additional harm to our lands, waters and wildlife that is associated with extracting fossil fuels.”