Coal Power Hit Hardest by Recession, Cleaner Energy Sees a Rise

New information released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that over the last two years, coal-fired electricity suffered where renewable energy shined. From 2008 to 2009, energy consumption in general was down 4%, due almost totally to the recession, or as placating pundits like to call it, the economic downturn. I personally like to think an iota or two of that decline was due to our collective, voluntary, earth-friendly energy conservation, but I’ll take it either way.

The point being that during that downswing in economy and energy consumption, one energy source took it the hardest. In 2008, coal power plants provided 1,985,801 gigawatt-hours of power. In 2009, coal accumulated 1,764,486 GWh of power, a reduction of 11.1%, although coal still supplied 45% of total electricity generation in the United States.

Yet meanwhile, cleaner burning fuels were up. Natural gas (cleaner but still fossil-fueled) was up 4.2% from 2008 to 2009, hydroelectric went up 6.8%, and renewable energy led the way with an 11.8% increase, accounting for 4% of total generation in 2009.

Granted it makes sense that the fuel source providing nearly half our power would take the hardest hit in any economic downturn. If every power plant in the nation decreased production by 1%, obviously coal would have the highest cumulative reduction. Nevertheless, it does matter when coal production drops by 11% but renewable energy increases by 12%. However small it may be in the grand scheme, a gain is a gain, and we are just in the beginning of the renewable revolution.

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