Cofiring fossil fuels with renewable energy in addressing global climate change and the Kyoto Protocol

Conference · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:349111

Miller, C L; Hoppe, J A

In addressing the issue of Global Climate Change, the use of renewable energy resources and energy efficiency has been traditionally touted as the most effective way to mitigate the production of greenhouse gases and to sequester carbon-based emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels for the worldwide production of power. The goal set by the Kyoto Protocol of ``stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the atmosphere`` will not be met unless the predictions for world energy production based on the use of oil, gas and coal are considered in using renewable energy resources. The use of renewable energy in the US amounted to 7.4 quads in 1997 which was only 7.8% of total domestic gross energy demand. In the US alone the biomass renewable energy economically accessible resource base is estimated at 14 quads per year which can be considered for use in addressing predicted increases in electric power demand. In 1990 the biomass generated power was 3.1 quads in the US alone, and renewable energy accounted for 14.7% of the total world power production allowing for significant increases in the future. The most significant use of renewable energy other than the power sector is the use of biofuels (principally from wood) in the industrial sector which accounts for 21% of the total renewable demand of 7.432 quads in 1997.

• OSTI ID: 349111
• Report Number(s): CONF-980985--; ISBN 1-890977-15-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
BIOMASS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COCOMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS