NOAA - Net Heating Effect Of GHGs Up 1.5% Globally In Just One Year From 2012 To 2013

[Benton D Struckcheon]

6. For the US and Europe, at least, that last part is not true.

What is true is that as the economy recovers, people use their cars more, so total energy usage is increasing. But for the sector that the IPCC correctly focuses on for the fact it's both easier and you get more bang because you can retire the coal plants - electricity - renewables haven't lead to an increase in electric usage. Electricity usage has been gently declining, actually, because of increased efficiency in household appliances combined with better insulated houses. So there you have a double effect: the share of renewables has been increasing at the same time as total electric power generated has actually declined some. This too is probably why ALEC is getting involved all of a sudden.