Energy-Climate
Fact Sheet
- Energy demand is increasing
- Compared to other sectors, the transportation and energy sectors have low sensitivities to climate change
- Energy Demand
- Space conditioning demands will differ based on regional temperature changes
- Energy demand for irrigation, harvesting and grain drying will also depend on regional climate changes
- Energy Supply
- Hydroelectric power is sensitive to changes in water availability.
- Transmission lines may be negatively impacted if more extreme storms accompany climate change
- Offshore oil and gas operations could benefit from less ice obstruction but may experience more damage from strong storms.
- Adaptation of the energy sector has a good outlook as long as climate changes occur slowly and there are no surprises.
- “Altered design criteria, energy conservation, and the use of alternatives (such as solar and wind) are among the expected adaptive responses.”
- Decreased hydroelectric power generation due to lower lake levels and reduced runoff