The U.S. electric grid is making significant progress to zero-carbon status, according to a report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Greenhouse-gas emissions from the electricity sector last year were 52% lower in 2020 than the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicted they would be back in 2005, the report says. Power-sector emissions fell 40% from 2005 to 2020, with much of the drop driven by cheap natural gas supplanting coal as the dominant fuel for U.S. power plants.
Further emissions cuts will require greater adoption of clean technologies such as energy storage, and that is achievable with the declining cost of solar and wind power generation, and battery storage, the report says. Low-carbon resources could reliably meet as much as 70%–90% of power supply needs at low incremental cost.
Other sectors, including the built environment, have made less progress in cutting emissions. Residential building emissions declined 29% from 2005 to 2020. Commercial building emissions dipped 32% during the same period.
Grid-interactive efficient buildings could help to make the grid more efficient by reducing the need for new supply and delivery infrastructure and providing another form of demand flexibility.
Related Stories
| Nov 23, 2011
USGBC launches app lab for LEED certification process
The U.S. Green Building Council has released the App Lab, a searchable catalog of third-party apps that are integrated with LEED data.
| Nov 23, 2011
Document gives advice on stormwater runoff management
The report, “Rooftops to Rivers II,” provides tips on how cities can use smart infrastructure and green building design to minimize pollution from stormwater runoff and other wastewaters.
| Nov 23, 2011
Zoning changes proposed to make New York City buildings greener
New York City will introduce new zoning proposals next month that would make it easier for building owners to add features that will make their properties more sustainable.
| Nov 18, 2011
AGC offers webinar on Davis-Bacon compliance
Webinar to be held in two sessions, Dec. 7 and 8 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST.
| Nov 18, 2011
New green construction code may help push LEED standards higher
The International Green Construction Code (IgCC) is expected to set a floor for building standards and may create the opportunity for LEED certifications to push toward higher ceilings.
| Nov 18, 2011
New OSHA fall safety rule could save contractors money on insurance premiums
The new Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule requiring employers operating in the residential construction industry to use the same methods of fall protection that historically have been used in the commercial construction industry could save them money.
| Nov 18, 2011
Some believe new Austin building code will help mom and pop shops
Austin, Texas has proposed building codes that require wider sidewalks and call for buildings to be closer to sidewalks along a 3.5-mile stretch of highway.
| Nov 11, 2011
AIA: Engineered Brick + Masonry for Commercial Buildings
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Nov 10, 2011
WaterSense standard for weather-based irrigation controllers unveiled
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program has released a final specification for weather-based irrigation controllers—the first outdoor product category eligible to earn the WaterSense label.
| Nov 10, 2011
Advocate seeks noise reduction measures in California building codes
A former chief building inspector for San Francisco wants to enact building codes that would limit noise levels in restaurants and other spaces open to the public.
