What's Holding Us Back

Forbes.com
Jonathan Fahey, 08.03.09, 06:00 PM EDT

Just 4% of the nation's energy comes from renewable sources. What's the problem?

Sometimes it seems like there's nothing renewable energy can't do. It can create jobs! It can jump-start the economy! It can protect us from terrorists! It can revive the heartland! And, of course, it can save us from climate calamity.

But so far it's not doing much of any of this. Wind, solar, geothermal and biomass satisfied just 4% of our overall energy consumption in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration. By far the biggest chunk of that sliver is thanks to ethanol from corn, which is of dubious environmental and economic benefit.

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