US renewable energy consumption up 7% year-on-year in 2006: EIA

[bananas]

http://www.platts.com/Electric%20Power/News/6436512.xml

US renewable energy consumption up 7% year-on-year in 2006: EIA

Washington (Platts)--21Aug2007

US renewable energy consumption increased 7% from 2005 to 2006, at a time
when total US energy use declined 1%, according to report from the US Energy
Information Administration.

The increase was largely the result of greater reliance on biofuels for
transportation and wind for electricity production, the report, released
Tuesday, said.

Renewable energy's market share stood at nearly 7% in 2006, slightly
higher than the prior year's level, with more than 6.8 quadrillion Btu
consumed, the report, which is based on preliminary statistics, said. And
consistent with historical patterns, the electric power sector used most of
the renewable energy at 56% of consumption.

While conventional hydroelectric power had the largest absolute annual
change, at 186 TBtu, this represented only a 7% increase, the report said.
Biofuels use rose by 164 TBtu, or 28%, and wind increased by 80 TBtu, or 45%.

<snip>

[skids]

1. link to data

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/prelim_trends/rea_prereport.html

...it's a one-sheet preliminary findings.

Who here believes we had a 1% energy use decrease, and if so, who here is amazed? Of course people are
poorer now and they probably don't count the energy use by Americans overseas...