Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Earth Day 2014

Get involved with Earth Day!



Every year on April 22, over a billion people in 190 countries take action for Earth Day. From San Francisco to San Juan, Beijing to Brussels, Moscow to Marrakesh, people plant trees, clean up their communities, contact their elected officials, and more—all on behalf of the environment.

Like Earth Days of the past, Earth Day 2014 will focus on the unique environmental challenges of our time. As the world’s population migrates to cities, and as the bleak reality of climate change becomes increasingly clear, the need to create sustainable communities is more important than ever. Earth Day 2014 will seek to do just that through its global theme: Green Cities. With smart investments in sustainable technology, forward-thinking public policy, and an educated and active public, we can transform our cities and forge a sustainable future. Nothing is more powerful than the collective action of a billion people.

As the global organizer behind Earth Day, Earth Day Network creates tools and resources for you to get involved with Earth Day in your community. Here’s how you can participate:

Friday, January 03, 2014

Renewable Energy Supplies 23% Global Electricity Generation

In 2012, Germany led the world in cumulative solar photovoltaic installed capacity, reports the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The United States leads the world in geothermal and biomass installed capacity. China leads in wind, and Spain leads in solar thermal electric generation (STEG).

Sustainable Energy Accounts For 23% of All Electricity Generation Worldwide (4,892 Twh)

This is more information from the NREL report: 2012 Renewable Energy Data Book. Here we see which countries have the most sustainable energy sources and what the clean energy sources are for each of these nations. If you want more information click HERE to see the report and go to pages 40 – 50. By Amber Archangel.  The following is from the NREL 2012 Renewable Energy Data Book:

Does One Country Lead The World With Renewable Energy?

  • Cumulative global renewable electricity installed capacity has grown by 97% from 2000 to 2012 (from 748 GW to 1,470 GW).
  • Countries with extensive solar policies—such as Germany, Spain, and Italy— lead the world in solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment.

Renewable Electricity by Technology for the World’s Top Countries


  • Wind and solar energy are the fastest growing renewable electricity technologies worldwide. Wind generation grew by a factor of nearly 16 and solar generation grew by a factor of 49 between 2000 and 2012.
  • Although global cumulative installed offshore wind capacity surpassed 5 GW in 2012, no commercial offshore wind turbines have been commissioned in the United States thus far.

Total Global Renewable Electricity Capacity


  • The installed global renewable electricity* capacity doubled between 2000 and 2012, and represents a significant and growing portion of the total energy supply both globally and in the United States.

The World’s Sustainable Energy Resources

Photo credit - NREL Content Courtesy - 1sun4all