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1 1 (March 6, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyin0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional **Research Service An Electric Grid Based on 100% Renewable Energy? March 6, 2019 A recent assessment by the U.S. Global Change Research Program found that if greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue at current rates and adaptation actions are not undertaken, climate change impacts will damage U.S. infrastructure, communities, and the economy. This finding combined with significant GHG emissions from the electric power industry has led to an increased focus on U.S. energy policy. With growing amounts of today's electricity coming from renewable sources. some stakeholders advocate a shift of U.S. national electric power generation to come from sources that do not emit carbon dioxide. Some observers see greater electrification of the U.S. economy (extending to the transportation sector and electric vehicles) as one way to mitigate climate change. In addition, there have been a variety of discussions advocating a Green New Deal, including the companion House and Senate resolutions, with some calling for U.S. electric power generation to come 100% from renewable electricity by 2030. For several years, experts have attempted to assess the technical feasibility, needed infrastructure, and potential costs and benefits of converting to electricity generated solely or predominantly from renewable sources. Today's Electricity Relies Largely on Fossil Fuels In 2017, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), fossil fuels (e.g., coal and natural gas) accounted for about 63 % of U.S. electric generation (including utility scale and small scale generation). Renewable electricity sources (defined by EIA as principally hydropower, wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) power) accounted for about 17% of electric generation in the same year. Power generation from fossil fuels has been identified as a major source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions seen as causing climate change. The electrical grid in the United States comprises all of the power plants generating electricity, together with the transmission and distribution lines bringing power to customers. However, the grid is aging with retirements of coal, nuclear, and natural gas power plants anticipated due to age and market conditions. Distributed energy resources (such as roof-top solar PV), energy efficiency, and demand-side Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11065 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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