Staying Energized
Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 6/1/2002
The latest projections by the U.S. Energy Information Administration show United States energy consumption rising more quickly than previously thought over the next two years, primarily due to higher commercial and transportation demands. The 2002 Annual Energy Outlook forecasts that energy demand in 2020 will be some 4 quadrillion BTUs higher than last year's report anticipated. Computers, telecommunication equipment and other office devices are seen as the biggest non-transportation contributors to this increase.
Electricity generation is expected to increase over the same timeline to meet this demand boost. The percentage of generation based on renewable sources—including cogeneration, wind, geothermal and solar—is expected to be slightly higher than previously thought.
From Pure Power, Summer 2002.
