Scientists estimate that we will run out of oil and gas in about 50 years! Why does renewable energy only supply about 13% of our needs?
Humans are still using 35 billion barrels of oil every year. What’s preventing us from reaching 100% renewable energy? There are some impressive hurdles, like figuring out how to get solar energy from the very sunny areas of the Earth to the places that aren’t so sunny – like Leonia! Hopefully a combination of financial investment and scientific invention will bring us closer as time goes on.
Here’s a breakdown of how PSE&G – our gas and electricity provider in Leonia – sources the electricity for its “Basic Generation” customers. As you can see, only about 2.6% comes from renewable sources.
However, we can each do our part to support clean energy sources by signing up to get our electricity through one of PSE&G’s third-party electricity providers. You don’t need to change anything about how the electricity get delivered to your house. That job will still be done by PSE&G. But you CAN choose a company that uses renewable energy to buy the electricity for you. Read more about third-party energy suppliers at PSE&G’s web site here, or request a list of third-party suppliers by mail.
Although the power isn’t sent in a straight line from a solar panel in Arizona or a wind turbine in Maine to your home’s lightbulbs, purchasing energy through a supplier that uses renewable sources supports the companies that generate this type of energy, and brings us closer to giving up fossil and nuclear fuels altogether. Watch the video below from CleanChoice Energy — one of the options for our electricity providers through PSE&G — to learn more about how these companies support energy from renewable sources on behalf of their customers.
You can also get discounts on energy-saving applicances through New Jersey’s Clean Energy Progam. That’s a statewide program that offers financial incentives, programs and services for New Jersey residents, business owners and local governments to help them save energy, money and the environment. Click through to learn more!
The Leonia Board of Education has added three propane-powered buses to its fleet of 16 buses. Most of the old buses, which use diesel fuel, will be phased out in the coming years and replaced by propane buses. Leonia is the first district in Bergen County to use propane buses!
Here’s a fantastic TED-Ed video about why we aren’t using more renewable energy already. Watch this charming animation to learn more!