RESOURCES 12: Low-Carbon Power
In this resources section you will find the webinar titled EIA'S Annual Energy Outlook 2022. Then, it is important that you review the short videos on the different types of low-carbon power energies: solar (photovoltaic and concentrating solar power), wind, nuclear, biomass, hydropower and geothermal.
Energy Forecast
- Webinar: EIA's Annual Energy Outlook 2022 Release
- This webinar provides the energy forecast in the U.S. for the next 30 years. The Annual Energy Outlook provides modeled projections of domestic energy markets through 2050, including cases with different assumptions about macroeconomic growth, world oil prices, and technological progress. The EIA, the statistical and analytical agency within the Department of Energy, is the nation’s most authoritative source of data, forecasts, and analysis of the U.S. energy market. Please make sure you watch at least the first ~30 minutes. The rest is filled with an interesting discussion from the panel, so stay on if you have the time.
Low-Carbon Power Videos
- Solar Energy
- Solar photovoltaic (PV). This systems can generate clean, cost-effective power anywhere the sun shines. This video shows how a PV panel converts the energy of the sun into renewable electricity to power homes and businesses.
- Concentrating Solar Power (CSP). From towers to dishes to linear mirrors to troughs, concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies reflect and collect solar heat to generate electricity. A single CSP plant can generate enough power for about 90,000 homes. This video explains what CSP is, how it works, and how systems like parabolic troughs produce renewable power.
- Wind Energy
- Wind Energy. The video highlights the basic principles at work in wind turbines, and illustrates how the various components work to capture and convert wind energy to electricity. This updated version also includes information on the Energy Department's efforts to advance offshore wind power. See how wind turbines generate clean electricity from the power of wind.
- Nuclear Energy
- Nuclear Energy. Nuclear power is the second-largest source of low-carbon electricity today, with 452 operating reactors providing 2700 TWh of electricity in 2018, or 10% of global electricity supply. In advanced economies, nuclear has long been the largest source of low-carbon electricity, providing 18% of supply in 2018. Yet nuclear is quickly losing ground. While 11.2 GW of new nuclear capacity was connected to power grids globally in 2018 – the highest total since 1990 – these additions were concentrated in China and Russia. This short video will take you through the whole process: from nuclear fission to electricity.
- Biomass Energy
- Biomass Energy. Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals. Biomass was the largest source of total annual U.S. energy consumption until the mid-1800s. Biomass continues to be an important fuel in many countries, especially for cooking and heating in developing countries. The use of biomass fuels for transportation and for electricity generation is increasing in many developed countries as a means of avoiding carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use. In 2020, biomass provided nearly 5 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) and about 5% of total primary energy use in the United States. Note that renewable natural gas (RNG) is considered under this category. RNG like fossil-derived natural gas is primarily comprised of methane, as well as other gases, like hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Learn how biomass creates power from waste in this engaging video by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
- Biomass Energy. Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals. Biomass was the largest source of total annual U.S. energy consumption until the mid-1800s. Biomass continues to be an important fuel in many countries, especially for cooking and heating in developing countries. The use of biomass fuels for transportation and for electricity generation is increasing in many developed countries as a means of avoiding carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use. In 2020, biomass provided nearly 5 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) and about 5% of total primary energy use in the United States. Note that renewable natural gas (RNG) is considered under this category. RNG like fossil-derived natural gas is primarily comprised of methane, as well as other gases, like hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Learn how biomass creates power from waste in this engaging video by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
- Hydropower
- Hydropower. Hydropower also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a water source to produce power. Discover how hydropower works in this engaging video by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
- Geothermal Energy
- Geothermal Energy. Did you know the U.S. leads the world in geothermal power production? Geothermal energy is heat within the Earth. The word geothermal comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source because heat is continuously produced inside the earth. People use geothermal heat for bathing, to heat buildings, and to generate electricity. Learn how geothermal energy is produced and more in this engaging video by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).