Investigating a Future without Coal and Nuclear Power in the U.S.

Civil Society Institute
Completed in May 2010.

Synapse analyzed a scenario for the Civil Society Institute in which energy efficiency and renewable energy replace coal-fired power generation by 2050. The analysis divided the country into eight regions and investigated how each region could phase out coal-fired electricity. The study found that, by 2050, expanded energy efficiency efforts could reduce electricity demand from current levels by 15 percent and that renewable energy could provide nearly half of the 2050 demand. Importantly, the coal-fired generation could be eliminated without increasing the country's reliance on nuclear power. The plan would involve modest near-term costs but would save money over the long term. "Beyond Business as Usual: Investigating a Future without Coal and Nuclear Power in the U.S" was released in May 2010.