The "Annual Energy Outlook 2008" (AEO2008) reference case, released on December 12th 2007 by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), of the U.S. Department of Energy includes several important changes from earlier AEOs to better reflect trends in the economy and energy markets that are expected to persist. Energy markets are changing in response to the higher energy prices experienced since2000, the greater influence of developing countries on world-wide energy requirements, recently enacted legislation and regulations in the United States, and changing public views related to the use of alternative fuels, emissions, and the acceptability of various energy technologies, among other factors.

Renewable energy consumption to grow by approximate 80 %.

The AEO2008 reference case projects greater renewable energy use than AEO2007. Marketed renewable energy consumption between 2006 and 2030 grows from 6.8 to 12.2 quadrillion Btu, compared with 9.9 quads in the AEO2007 reference case. The higher level of renewable energy consumption is partially a result of higher energy prices in the AEO2008 reference case, but it also reflects a revised representation of State renewable portfolio standards. The updated representation of these programs results in significant additional growth of renewable generation from wind, biomass, and geothermal resources.

US-carbon emissions will grow by 25 percent

Without changes in current carbon emissions policies that are not assumed in the AEO2008 reference case, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions grow sharply, but to lower levels than in AEO2007 because of lower primary energy consumption. Energy-related CO2 emissions are projected to grow by 25 percent in the AEO2008 between 2006 and 2030, compared to 35 percent in the AEO2007 reference case.

The reference case projections from the AEO2008 and an overview of the results are available at www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/index.html. The reference case represents a baseline projection under existing policies and a given set of assumptions regarding economic, energy market, and technology conditions. The full AEO2008 report, including projections with differing assumptions on the price of oil, the rate of economic growth, and the characteristics of new technologies, will be released in early 2008, along with regional projections and a report on the major assumptions underlying the projections.

2007-12-17 | Courtesy: EIA; National Energy Information Center | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH