Sustainable Operations and Closed Loop Supply Chains, Second Edition

CHAPTER 10

Renewable Energy and Biofuels

10.1 Introduction

This chapter presents some basic concepts in the area of renewable energy and biofuels, which are key for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, both from a policy perspective and from a firm’s own sustainability perspective. Figure 10.1 illustrates the energy sources for the electricity generated in the United States in 2016. Renewable energy accounted for roughly 15 percent of all energy generated in the United States in 2016, up from 10 percent in 2010. Electricity generation from wind increased to 5.6 percent from 2.3 percent in 2010, and solar penetration, although only 0.9 percent of all electricity generated in the United States in 2016, increased from 0.03 percent in 2010. ...