About the United States In 1970 the United States consumed almost 1400 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. The Department of Energy predicts that by the year 2020 the US will consume more than three times that amount, or 4800 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.To produce all of this electricity, the United States has roughly 5000 power plants with a generating capacity of 800,000 Megawatts. The USDOE predicts we will need to build a power plant a week to meet our projected electrical needs for the year 2020. In 1999 the average amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere for every kilowatt hour of electricity produced was 1.969 lbs. (USDOE) In the same year, natural gas, which is the least carbon intensive fossil fuel, released on average 1.321lbs per kilowatt hour.
Nuclear power (29%) is the leading source of energy in New York State, followed closely by natural gas (27%). Hydroelectric power, (18%) and coal (17%) are the two other main sources of energey. New York is the fourth largest user of hydroelectric power in the United States. However, just about 2% of New York's power is renewable. (Year 2002 statistics) If just 10% of New York's households chose Green Power for their electricity supply, it would noticeabley reduce the harmful pollutants we spew out into the atmosphere. Just 10 percent of house holds would reduce close to: Three3 billion pounds carbon dioxide Ten (10) million pounds of sulfur dioxide Four (4) million pounds of nitrogen oxides
Click on the icon below to watch a short video of net metering in action. The meter on the right is running backwards because it is being powered by a solar electric system.
ISI Solar 22 Third Street New City, NY 10956 - 845-708-0800 Fax 845-708-0802
