What does climate change have to do with electric cooperatives?
The process of generating electricity is the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, representing 40 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions from all sources in 2005. Electric cooperatives generate only about 5 percent of the nation’s electricity, and more than 80 percent of electric cooperatives’ generation is from fossil fuels. As a result, electric cooperatives have a well-developed interest in technologies that reduce, avoid and store greenhouse gas emissions. 6. What are electric cooperatives doing to address climate change? Currently, there is a lack of cost-effective technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-based generation. Electric cooperatives are working to develop new technologies and energy sources to reduce, avoid, and sequester or store emissions. Cooperatives across the nation are using and promoting alternative and renewable energy options, including wind energy, solar energy, hydropower and biomass (methane gas
