An aggressive energy intensity target and a national renewable energy standard highlight a suite of Chinese policies that will slow greenhouse gas emissions growth.
WHAT: The World Resources Institute (WRI), Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA), and Southface will hold a tele-press conference to discuss the third report in a three-part series on energy opportunities in the Southeast United States. Water and Watts examines the region’s heavy dependence on water for electricity produced at coal and nuclear power plants. The report shows how clean energy policies can protect diminishing freshwater supplies and meet the energy demands of a growing population.
In the Southeast from 1997 to 2006, total fossil fuel consumption increased approximately 14 percent, outpacing the national average rate of 5 percent growth.
Energy efficiency is significantly cheaper than producing electricity with new power plants (see chart) and offers additional economic and environmental benefits.
Energy efficiency policies in the Southeast U.S. can help reduce electricity use by more than 10 percent over the next six years - saving the same amount of power generated by more than 30 coal-fired power plants, according to a report released today by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA), and Southface.
Nuclear power plants withdraw and consume the largest
amounts of water, followed by power plants that use fossil fuels
(coal or oil), biomass, or waste.
Nearly 40 billion gallons are withdrawn each day from Southeast
freshwater supplies for thermoelectric power plants–about 65
percent of all withdrawals.
Click on map to see where WRI is making a difference.