Over the next 25 years, natural gas and renewable fuels will gain a larger share of the U.S. generating mix of electricity, according to the Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (AEO2012)'s Early Release Reference case.
Coal will remain the dominant source of electricity generation power, but its share drop will decline from 45% in 2010 to 39% in 2035, the report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts.
The Reference case assumes no changes in current laws and regulations or major technology breakthroughs, either of which could significantly change that outlook.
The EIA cautioned that its full report, due out in the spring, will account for mercury and toxics regulations that the Environmental Protection Administration promulgated in December, so it could have somewhat different conclusions.
