The National Academies
What You Need To Know About Energy
Our Energy Sources
Renewable Sources
The idea of drawing our energy from sources that are renewable, are independent of foreign nations, and do not emit greenhouse gases has powerful appeal. But capturing these resources is expensive, and many are intermittent, which complicates using them on a large scale. Learn about renewable sources’ current contributions to our energy supply and their prospects for our energy future.
Renewable energy contribution to total U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
Explore Other Topics
Energy Hands-on
Understanding Efficiency
Learn the significance of energy efficiencyOur Energy System
A visualization of all our energy sourcesWhat do you know about energy?
America, with 5% of the planet's population, consumes how much of the world's total energy?
-
Sorry, that’s incorrect.
With 5% of the planet's population, the United States uses 20% of the world's total energy.
-
Sorry, that’s incorrect.
With 5% of the planet's population, the United States uses 20% of the world's total energy.
-
Correct!
With 5% of the planet's population, the United States uses 20% of the world's total energy.
Energy Defined
- Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)
Federal standards that stipulate a target average fuel economy rating (typically expressed in miles per gallon, or mpg) to be met by passenger vehicles by a certain date. The most recent version of the CAFE law, pending passage by Congress, requires new cars, SUVs, and light trucks to average 35.5 mpg by 2016.
National Academies Press
Search the National Academies Press website by selecting one of these related terms.
