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ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

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Figure 7-14c<br />

Energy Intensity Commercial Sector, 2003–2015<br />

Index, 2003=1<br />

1.0<br />

2003<br />

0.9<br />

0.8<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2009<br />

2010<br />

0.7<br />

2008<br />

Actual<br />

0.6<br />

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015<br />

Source: Energy Information Administration; CEA Calculations.<br />

emissions intensity of energy use in the U.S. economy, as well as several EIA<br />

projections. Beginning in 2008, these projections are all noticeably above<br />

the observed carbon intensity. Figure 7-15b shows that carbon emitted per<br />

dollar of GDP has also declined over this period, and that declines exceed<br />

predictions.<br />

There are two primary reasons for the declining carbon intensity: a<br />

considerable shift to natural gas (a lower-carbon fossil fuel) and a remarkable<br />

growth in renewable energy, especially wind and solar.<br />

The shift to lower carbon fossil fuels can be seen in Figure 7-16. Since<br />

2008, coal and petroleum consumption have fallen 30 and 4 percent, respectively.<br />

Meanwhile, natural gas consumption has risen by almost 19 percent,<br />

with much of this increase displacing coal for electricity generation. This<br />

is due, in large part, to the surge in U.S. natural gas production discussed<br />

earlier. In fact, the share of electricity generation using natural gas surpassed<br />

the share produced from coal in 2015 for the first time on record (Figure<br />

7-17). As natural gas is a much lower-carbon fuel than coal for electricity<br />

generation, this shift has contributed to lower carbon intensity.<br />

Clean energy has undergone notable trends since 2008: electricity<br />

generation from renewable energy has increased, and costs of key clean<br />

energy technologies have fallen as there have been sizable efficiency gains<br />

in renewable energy. As seen in Figure 7-18, the share of non-hydropower<br />

renewables in U.S. electricity generation has increased from 3 percent in<br />

458 | Chapter 7

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