regionUnited States
These graphs show the changes in emissions, emissions drivers, and policy in the Power sector in the US
Emissions
Emissions and generation
There was steady emissions and generation growth through the mid-2000s. Until recently, emissions grew in tandem with increasing electricity demand.
Emissions Drivers
Power sector variables and impact on average emissions factor
The expansion and increased availability of nuclear in the 1980s and 1990s offset growing emissions from coal. In the 2000s, most factors were aligned to improve emissions intensity, including increasing renewables output and gas replacing coal.
Both state and federal governments created policies to support renewable energy. The two most prominent of these were federal renewable energy tax incentives and state level renewable portfolio standards.
Both state and federal governments created policies to support renewable energy. The two most prominent of these were federal renewable energy tax incentives, and state level renewable portfolio standards. These policies, and several other factors, are associated with significant increases in U.S. renewable energy capacity.