New Report: Renewable Energy Can Curb Global Warming

The American Solar Energy Society has just released a 200 page report detailing how concentrating solar power (CSP), photovoltaics (PV), wind power, bomass, biofuels, and geothermal power, along with increased energy efficiency, can reduce carbon emissions by some 1.2 billion tons a year by 2030.

The 200 page report, entitled "Takling Climate Change in the U.S." claims that renewable energy has the potential to provide 40% of the U.S. electric need projected for 2030. With energy efficiency measures, renewables could provide 50% of the 2030 need.

This magnitude of carbon emission reduction is needed to keep the CO2 levels in the atmosphere below 500 parts per million, the level scientists believe is necessary to prevent runaway tempeerature increase and environmental catastrophe.

The report has been adopted by the Sierra Club as its energy roadmap.