2021 will be known as a pivotal year in human history, and not just for the reasons you may think.

While it may not be front page news, the world is taking a monumental leap forward this year when it comes to adopting renewable energy.

Renewable or clean energy refers to a broad spectrum of technologies and power sources. But the one common denominator is that renewable and clean energy sources help to reduce pollution, protecting our environment and keeping our communities healthy.

Since promoting renewable energy and helping to heal our world is my passion, I wanted to start a great conversation with you by introducing 15 notes, facts, and little-known stats that may get you excited about renewable energy too.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like to continue the discussion – and look out for part 2 coming soon!

15 Things you didn’t know about clean energy:

1. The terms “renewable energy” and “clean energy” encompass many different methods and technologies used to provide power. The most common renewable and clean energy sources in the world now include:

• Solar energy
• Wind
• Biogas
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Hydro-electric
• Wave and tidal power

2. According to the United Nations Development Programme, the price of residential solar energy has dropped 89 percent since 2010, and it’s now the cheapest source of electricity in history.
3. Just by instituting smart and efficient energy policies, countries around the world can reach 40 percent of our planet’s needed emission cuts. Technological innovation and widespread adoption will help us boost past clean energy use and meet our environmental goals.
4. At least 115 countries and counting have signed the United Nations Climate Promise to build a greener future with carbon neutrality or net-zero emissions.
5. The list of those countries includes largescale, high-emitting economies like the UK, EU, South Korea, Japan, and China. Those nations combined constitute about 65 percent of all global CO2 emissions and 70 percent of the world’s economy. The US is now on board with the clean energy revolution, too, and plans to catch up quickly with those other nations!
6. Fossil fuels may have been the status quo for decades, but don’t be fooled that they are cost-efficient or even financially sustainable. In fact, the US spends about $500 billion on fossil fuel subsidies every year. Also, over 100 oil and gas companies went bankrupt in 2020 alone.
7. Clean energy not only benefits the environment and saves money, but creates an abundance of jobs. The shift towards cleaner energy is expected to create 18 million new jobs by 2030.
8. In fact, investment in clean energy creates between three to five times more jobs than the same investment in fossil fuels.
9. Clean energy jobs in the US actually outnumber the jobs in fossil fuels by two-and-a-half to one. Put another way, there are five clean energy jobs for every one in fossil fuels!
10. Not only are there a lot of clean energy jobs in America, but they’re high quality positions. Hiring in renewable energy is local. These jobs can’t be exported abroad. Work on homes, like installing rooftop solar or efficient heating and cooling systems, takes place in cities and towns across the nation. These are year-round jobs that many people can do right from where they currently live.
11. If you think renewable energy makes up just a minuscule portion of our global energy demand, think again! As of 2020, 29 percent of the world’s energy came from renewable resources, with renewable demand growing approximately 45 percent each year.
12. Hydropower is the most commonly used today. Generated by dams and turbines, hydropower accounts for 54 percent of all renewable energy produced around the world, and therefore meets 18 percent of the world’s total electricity demand!
13. For many homeowners and even renters, one of the chief reasons to transition to clean energy at home is the cost savings. According to a study by Rewiring America, by switching to all renewable energy tech, the average US household would save about $2,500 annually.
14. Solar power is the leading form of power in residential homes – and growing fast. Solar at home is now cheaper, easier, more sustainable, and smarter than ever!
15. In fact, the International Energy Agency Solar anticipates that solar will be the world’s leading renewable energy source by the year 2050.

If this trend continues – and the excitement around renewable energy grows – within one generation, just about every home, business, school, and office rooftop in America will be equipped with highly efficient solar panels to meet our energy needs!

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Sources:

www.undp.org/blogs/five-reasons-be-optimistic-about-clean-energy-2021

www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/renewable-energy

www.undp.org/blogs/five-reasons-be-optimistic-about-clean-energy-2021

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-06/the-10-ways-renewable-energy-s-boom-year-will-shape-2021

www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/local-renewable-energy-benefits-and-resources
www.spectra.mhi.com/fastest-growing-energy-sources 

www.c2es.org/content/renewable-energy/ 

www.thinkprogress.org/clean-energy-more-jobs-than-fossil-fuels-32f615915399/ 

www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2014/september/how-solar-energy-could-be-the-largest-source-of-electricity-by-mid-century.html 

www.ewea.org/wind-energy-basics/faq/ 

www.rewiringamerica.org/ 

www.inspirecleanenergy.com/blog/clean-energy-101/renewable-energy-facts