ENERGY
Energy & Climate Change in New England
ENERGY
Energy
THE ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE
efforts at EPA New England include working with
bus/nesses, federal, state, and local organizations and
New England citizens to reduce energy use by providing tools, guidance
and technical assistance for energy efficiency, cleaner fuels and renewable
sources of energy. The goal of these efforts is to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and impacts of climate change.
INTRO:
The production and use of electricity is the single largest source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in New
England. This region gets its electricity from a range of sources including coal, natural gas, nuclear, oil, hydro power and
various renewable resources, such as wind power. New England is now more dependent on natural gas than the rest
of the country for its electricity supply. This change has provided significant environmental benefits to the region since
natural gas is a much cleaner fuel than coal or oil.
ENERGY IN NEW ENGLAND
Over the last 10 years, New England has switched to
natural gas as the predominant fuel used to generate
electricity. It now accounts for more than 40 percent
of electricity generation in the region. Natural gas has
many environmental benefits, and its increased use has
contributed significantly to reduced air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions in the region over the last
10 years.
Today, the New England states are moving towards a
greater reliance on wind, solar, biomass and other renew-
able sources. These sources are beginning to contribute
significantly to New England's power generation mix
and greenhouse gas reduction goals. Each of the six
New England states now requires increasing amounts of
renewable energy to be produced as a part of its energy
portfolio. The state programs goals range from very
aggressive like those in Connecticut and Massachusetts
to voluntary in Vermont. If these goals are met, about
20 percent of the electricity generated in New England
will come from renewable sources such as wind, solar,
biomass and hydropower by 2020. This would represent
a doubling of the amount of electricity generated from
renewable resources in the region from 2010 levels.
In addition to investing in cleaner ways of producing elec-
tricity, the New England states are also investing heavily
in ways to cut down on energy use. New environmental
policies are making energy efficiency more cost-effective,
and all of these efforts will reduce the need for additional
power plants.
However, New Englanders continue to demand more
electricity at a rate of about 1 percent per year. If the
states and the region are to meet their greenhouse gas
reduction goals and maintain air quality improvements
achieved over the last 10 years, this increase in demand
will need to be reduced through more efficient use of
electricity, and with even more electricity generation
through wind, solar, and hydro power, which do not emit
greenhouse gases.
As of 2010, almost a third of the power produced
in New England came from electric plants that were
more than 50 years old. So, while much of the power
plant fleet has been modernized and pollution controls
installed, a substantial number of plants are nearing the
end of their lives. When these plants are gone, plant
owners and regulators will be focused on changing to
much-needed cleaner energy sources and technologies.
Instead of increasing the region's dependence on natu-
ral gas, the region will be looking at making electric-
ity with newer clean technologies that will enable New
England to meet its future energy needs by decreasing
the region's dependence on natural gas and achieving its
greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
KEY CONTACTS:
JOHN MOSKAL
EPA New England
Energy and Climate Unit
(617) 918-1826
moskal.john@epa.gov
CYNTHIA GREENE
EPA New England
Manager, Energy and
Climate Unit
(617) 918-1813
greene.cynthia@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/region1/
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA-7341
LEARN MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/region1/
energykit
United States
Environmental Protection
IAgency
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EPA-901-F-10-028
December 2010
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