A study shows the U.S. used more energy but produced less carbon emissions in 2014 compared to 2010.
The analysis, recently released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and the U.S. Department of Energy, indicates that wind and natural gas usage as energy sources account for part of the improvement compared to 2010 levels.
The emissions reduction measured in the study is the result of wind energy development, a little more solar energy and greater acceptance of natural gas for electricity generation and industrial applications.
The low price of natural gas has encouraged many power producers to increase usage instead of coal for electricity. Natural gas releases up to half the amount of carbon dioxide of coal when used to produce electricity.
The study shows that between 2010 and 2014, the energy produced using coal declined and the energy produced using natural gas increased.
The study shows use of petroleum-based energy, mostly for transportation and industry, also declined between 2010 and 2014.
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