• Carbon emissions from San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California were the lowest among American metropolitan areas, but “are still more than four times the emissions in the brownest Chinese city (Daqing) and 10 times as high as the household emissions in the average Chinese city.”
• In 2006, the average Chinese urban household emitted 300 pounds of carbon dioxide from driving, not 30,000. In the most car-intensive Chinese cities, emissions are still less than one-tenth of emissions in the New York area.
• On average, Chinese households emit slightly over a ton of carbon dioxide each year due to electricity usage, less than a third of the least electricity intensive American cities. Electric appliances, as well as air conditioning, are luxury goods that are currently rare in the developing world
• Today, home heating is the most important source of emissions for Chinese households. They use coal, coal gas and propane, and these are pretty brown sources of energy. More significantly, in northern cities, heating is provided by the government, which creates few incentives for conservation.
• The average urban Chinese household’s carbon emissions from home heating are only about 1.2 tons per household, far less than the average American household’s emissions. The gap reflects our large homes, the cold winters in much of the United States and our intolerance for discomfort.

[Image source: Metropolitan Museum of Art]

“The Climate Race“, Marketplace’s series on companies, innovations, and products that are instrumental in leading the second green revolution, carried a story of particular interest dealt with exporting renewable energy to the United States. According to the story, some in Mexico consider the United States as a potential market for electricity produced by off-shore wind turbines in Baja.

The idea of exporting energy between neighboring countries is not new. The top two exporters of oil to the United States are its neighbors. Canada and Mexico rank one and two respectively in the number of barrels of oil they export to the United States. Because of higher energy costs in California, which ranks among the top 5 in the continental US for residential accounts, Mexico could capitalize on this new frontier in energy production. By importing electricity – particularly generated from wind, but potentially geothermal, tidal, or biofuels – California can meet its mandate and renewable energy generation.

Marketplace’s story on Mexican wind power holds the key to the export of renewable energy. David Munoz with Baja California’s Energy Commission, claims that they “have a surplus of renewable energy potential, and we can’t consume all that power.”  Munoz goes on to state that “Experts say there’s enough wind here to power millions of homes.” As reported in the New York Times, the Cape Wind offshore project alone could require more than $10 billion in grid upgrades. Perhaps the importing of electricity can defray some of the costs.

- Eric Wilson

[Image source]

News stories of coal miner deaths and spreading oil slicks reiterate the need for reliable domestic sources of energy that do not present the catastrophic near-term and long-term costs of fossil fuels – and other non-renewable resources. The debate about nuclear energy rages forward. I, for one, cannot envision a future where nuclear fission represents the best option for an emissions free future. While I still hold out hope for nuclear fusion, that, along with numerous other energy sources currently in development, cannot help us at this juncture.

Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute, preaches conservation and efficiency. These are two “easy” steps, yet, businesses and individuals alike have seemingly rejected them en masse. The monetary savings from reducing energy consumption ought to be a no-brainer. However, only a small percentage of companies have taken these steps. What will it take for companies to realize this “low-hanging fruit” and capitalize on what amounts to free money? Even if the US doesn’t lead the energy technology (ET) revolution, companies, families, and communities must take advantage of energy savings and reduce their overall consumption, which will have a positive impact on the bottom line.

- Eric Wilson

[Image source]

According to the the Trade Fact of the Week from the Democratic Leadership Council, energy generated around the world breaks down roughly into these categories:

• 175 quadrillion BTUs from oil, burned in various refined states to run the world’s transport industries.
• 130 quadrillion BTUs drawn from coal for electricity.
• 110 quadrillion BTUs from natural gas to add electricity, heat homes and run kitchen stoves.
• 30 quadrillion BTUs from hydro power for electricity.
• 8 quadrillion from wood, wind, magma and sun, for home heating, electrical generation and some transport.
  

About 6 percent of world energy comes from nuclear power, with 438 plants operating around the world. They are mostly in wealthy countries. The United States has 104 commercial reactors at 65 nuclear power plants, according to the Department of Energy, which accounts for roughly 20-percent of America’s electricity. On average, countries with nuclear reactors get 14% of their total electricity from them. Work on a nuclear power plant in Georgia is already underway and there are a few other projects close to being realized in the U.S. Internationally, however, the trend is clear.

The boom in nuclear power planning and construction in Asia is one more example of how much of the political and economic focus and commensurate power is shifting to the emerging world. As billions of people strive to live the good life we have long been accustomed to here in the U.S., there is and will continue to be an unprecedented demand for energy. While not perfect, nuclear power has to be a part of the energy mix to keep construction of coal power plants at least somewhat at bay. One day, we may not need nuclear or may be able to use it 100% safely and without producing toxic waste.  But for now, as we continue to undergo the largest urban migration in human history, it is one energy source we have to consider as a clean and reliable base load power source.

- Justin Manger

[Image Credit]