ASES: Aggressive Plan Could Control GHG Emissions

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) has published a report, Tackling Climate Change in the U.S.: Potential Carbon Emissions Reductions from Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by 2030, which enumerates, based on NASA's assessment that we need to limit the additional average world temperature rise due to greenhouse gases to 1˚C above the year-2000 level, the results of their studies of how energy efficiency and the use of renewables could achieve this goal. Estimates are that industrialized nations must reduce emissions about 60% to 80% below today’s values by mid-century.

The results of these studies show that renewable energy has the potential to provide approximately 40% of the U.S. electric energy need projected for 2030 by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). After we reduce the EIA electricity projection by taking advantage of energy efficiency measures, renewables could provide about 50% of the remaining 2030 U.S. electric need.

The following table summarizes the potential carbon reduction contributions from the various areas. (Energy efficiency contributions in the buildings, transportation, and industry sectors are combined into one number) (in MtC/yr in 2030).

Energy efficiency 688
Concentrating solar power 63
Photovoltaics 63
Wind 181
Biofuels 58
Biomass 75
Geothermal 83