Benefits of Renewable Energy Use - Union of Concerned Scientists
Jul 14, 2008 · Using more renewable energy can lower the prices of and demand for natural gas and coal by increasing competition and diversifying our energy supplies. And an increased reliance on renewable energy can help protect consumers when fossil fuel prices spike. Explainer. Renewables face major obstacles.
How is Electricity Measured? | Union of Concerned Scientists
Jul 14, 2008 · Watts are a measurement of power, describing the rate at which electricity is being used at a specific moment. For example, a 15-watt LED light bulb draws 15 watts of electricity at any moment when turned on. Watt-hours are a measurement of energy, describing the total amount of electricity used over time. Watt-hours are a combination of how fast the electricity is used (watts) and the length ...
How Natural Gas Is Formed - Union of Concerned Scientists
Jun 19, 2014 · Like oil, gas is a product of decomposed organic matter, typically from ancient marine microorganisms, deposited over the past 550 million years. This organic material mixed with mud, silt, and sand on the sea floor, gradually becoming buried over time. Sealed off in an oxygen-free environment and exposed to increasing amounts of heat and ...
Environmental Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies
Jul 14, 2008 · The environmental impacts associated with solar power can include land use and habitat loss, water use, and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing, though the types of impacts vary greatly depending on the scale of the system and the technology used—photovoltaic (PV) solar cells or concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP). Explainer.
Environmental Impacts of Solar Power - Union of Concerned …
Mar 5, 2013 · Most estimates of life-cycle emissions for photovoltaic systems are between 0.07 and 0.18 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour. Most estimates for concentrating solar power range from 0.08 to 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour. In both cases, this is far less than the lifecycle emission rates for natural ...
Satellite Database | Union of Concerned Scientists
Dec 8, 2005 · Kyle Ann Sebastian. Assembled by experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the Satellite Database is a listing of the more than 7,560 operational satellites currently in orbit around Earth. Our intent in producing the database is to create a research tool for specialists and non-specialists alike by collecting open-source information ...
Coal and Air Pollution | Union of Concerned Scientists
Jul 28, 2008 · This air pollution includes: Mercury: Coal plants are responsible for 42 percent of US mercury emissions, a toxic heavy metal that can damage the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, and is a serious threat to the child development. Just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat.
Environmental Impacts of Wind Power - Union of Concerned …
Mar 5, 2013 · A recent National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC) review of peer-reviewed research found evidence of bird and bat deaths from collisions with wind turbines and due to changes in air pressure caused by the spinning turbines, as well as from habitat disruption. The NWCC concluded that these impacts are relatively low and do not pose a threat ...
Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming - Union of Concerned …
Jul 27, 2008 · The consensus among climate scientists is that CO 2 from tropical deforestation now makes up less than 10 percent of global warming pollution. This percentage has gone down in recent decades, partly due to some success in reducing deforestation, but also because greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels—by far the principal cause of climate ...
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.