SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Good Stewards proudly promotes and encourages interest in sustainable, renewable energy sources. One of the best ways we can protect our environment now and in the future is to diversify our means of generating electricity and increase our supply of clean energy. Not only are these sources safer for our health and environment, they provide a major economic benefit to the areas investing in these projects. The renewable sector in the USA is booming and is expected to continue growth as prices for these sources decrease. 110,000 new clean energy jobs were created in 2018, bringing the US total to 3.26 million clean energy jobs. For perspective on that number, there are but 1.15 million jobs in the entire US fossil fuel industry. Renewable energy provided 742 million megawatt-hours(MWh) in 2018, nearly doubling since 2008. 90% of the growth between 2008-2018 came from wind and solar energy alone. As great as the numbers are, renewable energy only provided 18% of the total energy used in 2018 by the USA. If the current rate of growth for solar and wind energy production continues in the US, it will be 2035 before our nation's energy needs are met. We still have a lot of work to do, and we need to do it fast.

​

Coal, petroleum, fracked gas and nuclear energy are not sustainable or renewable sources of energy and cause devastating, long term impacts to the health of our environment and communities. They destroy our land, pollute our air and contaminate our water sources during the extraction, transportation, and generation processes. The use of fossil fuels in the United States is 79% of our total carbon emissions. Transition to renewable can, and will, greatly offset this number. 

​

Solar Energy Facts

• Solar energy use has increased 20% each year for the past 15 years.​

• Solar is now the cheapest energy source in the world, despite tariffs on panels. 

• Installed PV capacity in the US is expected to more than double by 2024.

• The US currently has enough solar capacity to power 12.7 million American homes.

• Virginia currently has 3,890 solar jobs, NC has 6,719.

• NC is number 2 in the nation for solar capacity, powering nearly half a million homes.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​