For the first quarter (January to March) of 2012, carbon dioxide emissions in the United States hit their lowest level since 1992. The report by the Energy Information Administration states that there are three main reasons for the decline: 1) reduced demand for gasoline, 2) a mild winter and early spring, and 3) a decrease in electricity generated by coal-fired power plants because of cheap natural gas. In total, CO2 emissions from energy consumption dropped 8% from last to 1.34 billion metric tons.
The key reasons for the drop can be attributed to the switch to more natural gas. “Coal-fired electric power generation puts out about twice the amount of carbon dioxide — around 2,000 pounds for every megawatt hour generated — than natural gas-fired electric generation does,” according to this New York Times article.
While wind, solar, and other renewables continue to be the least polluting source of energy generation, their 5% of total energy generation still has a long way to go in helping us power our lives. Natural gas, of course, is not without its worries, especially with regards to possible groundwater contamination. But you can’t have the best of everything and each of our energy options comes with pros and cons. CO2 emissions could very well climb again soon, but it is nice to see some relatively positive news in a field that can be known as the “other dismal science.”
