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| Total Global GHG Emissions in Million Tonnes CO2 Abated by Wind and Solar |
As in my previous articles, consider this one as a
replacement for the missing comment field at Vox. Wind and solar (when not disrupting
or displacing intact ecosystems) have a place in our grid, as does nuclear. It's
only a matter of how big their respective roles will be.
Roberts found a poll that exposes how badly Americans have
been misinformed when it comes to the progress of wind and solar.
The
average American, at least according to this new survey from communications and
PR firm Makovsky, has it at 20 percent — 11 percent from solar, 9 percent from
wind.
That
is … quite wrong. In reality, solar is at 1 percent and wind is at 2 percent.
Meanwhile,
the average American thinks that in five years, solar will be at 20 percent and
wind will be at 14 percent.
The
US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that in five years, solar
will still be at 1 percent and wind will have grown to a whopping 3.
I don't know where Dave got his numbers (he didn't provide a
link), but the 2016 BP statistical review has wind at 4.5% and solar at 0.9%
of U.S. electrical energy production for 2015, not that it matters. Could be he's talking about global values instead of U.S. values.
Coincidentally, James Conca just wrote a piece at Forbes
about a poll showing how Americans ranked nuclear power as the number 1
threat to safety way back in 1987.
