Solar. Wind. Geothermal. Fuel Cells. Biopower. Hydropower. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t read or hear about renewable energy.

Of course, not everyone who’s talking knows what they’re talking about, and for the average citizen, sorting through the claims and counterclaims can be confusing. Moreover, the field of renewables is changing so rapidly that what was fact three years ago may be fiction today.

The 128-page, Renewable Energy Data Book, helps put things in perspective. Published in September, 2008, by the U.S. Department of Energy, it’s chock full of recent U.S. and worldwide data on various forms of renewable energy, much of which is illustrated through charts and graphs.

Available online in portable document format (pdf) the Data Book is a must download for teachers, students and anyone else tired of following the game without a scorecard. A handy glossary also defines some key energy terms in clear, accessible language.

It’s impossible to describe the wealth of information in the Data Book, so we’ll limit ourselves to a few key findings we found of particular interest:

  • Although renewable energy (excluding hydropower) is a relatively small portion of total energy supply both globally and in the U.S., renewable energy installations in both the world and in the U.S. have nearly doubled between 2000 and 2007.
  • Worldwide, wind energy is the fastest growing renewable energy technology—between 2000 and 2006 wind energy generation worldwide quadrupled. The U.S. experienced similar dramatic growth, as installed wind energy capacity increased 6.5 times between 2000 and 2007.
  • In the U.S., renewable energy has been capturing a growing percent of new capacity additions over the past few years. In 2007, renewable energy accounted for over 35% of all new capacity installations in the U.S.—a large contrast from 2004 when all renewable energy captured only 2% of new capacity additions.
  • The levelized cost of wind power, excluding the Production Tax Credit, was 6 cents per kilowatt hour in 2007—a price that competes with fossil fuel-generated electricity.
  • The U.S. leads the world in geothermal, biomass and CSP (concentrating solar power) installed capacity.
  • Countries with aggressive solar policies, such as Germany and Japan, lead the world in solar PV (photovoltaic cell) deployment. Similarly, U.S. states with aggressive solar incentives lead the U.S. in installations (California, New Jersey, and New York).
  • Europe leads the world in biodiesel production, with most production and consumption in Germany.
  • Biodiesel production in 2007 is 250 times what it was in the year 2000.
  • In 2007, U.S. venture capital investment in renewable energy technology companies was $2.5 billion – up from $30 million in 2001.
  • U.S. venture capital investment in solar technology companies has increased from $5 million in 2001 to over $1 billion in 2007.

The Renewable Energy Data Book can be downloaded at the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy home page, where you’ll find an assortment of additional resources.