Renewable Energy
This sector is an emerging industry
How we define it
The Renewable Energy sector encompasses low-to-negative emissions power and fuels, such as solar, wind, hydro and marine, geothermal, waste-to-energy, biofuels, green hydrogen, and renewable natural gas.
Why it matters
Electricity: Traditional electric power generation is a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and globally. Renewable power solutions must not only displace traditional power generation – they must also massively expand the power system’s capacity to accommodate the widespread electrification of building heat systems, green hydrogen production, and transportation. Examples of the cleantech needed to advance this sector include highly efficient solar photoconversion cells, enhanced geothermal heat capture, better water mechanical-to-electrical energy systems, and economic waste-to-energy processes.
Fuel: Renewable fuels such as green hydrogen, biofuels, and renewable natural gas are critical in the transition to decarbonized transportation and industry. Many low- and negative-emission fuels are readily available but will require significant infrastructure to deploy. Other options are not yet widely available, such as alkaline electrolysis systems to produce lower-cost green hydrogen.
Metrics
Project Drawdown
The cleantech for this sector contributes to 14 Project Drawdown solutions and the reduction/sequestration of 167.26 - 408.48 gigatons of carbon equivalent (2020-2050).
Drawdown Solutions: Biochar Production, Biomass Power, Concentrated Solar Power, Distributed Solar Photovoltaics, Geothermal Power, Landfill Methane Capture, Methane Digesters, Micro Wind Turbines, Ocean Power, Offshore Wind Turbines, Onshore Wind Turbines, Small Hydropower, Utility-Scale Solar Photovoltaics, Waste-to-Energy
Key GRI Environmental Standards
Sustainable Development Goals Target 7.2
