Snow and ice, wildfires, and extreme wind can damage above-ground powerlines and transmission towers. 10 For example, transmission lines are prone to damage during extreme weather. Interruptions to Electricity TransmissionĬlimate change threatens the ways in which power reaches our homes and businesses. 9 Without enough water, affected systems need to find new water sources or scale back their operations. 8 Water shortages have already affected hydropower production, especially in the West. 7 Petroleum, natural gas, and biofuels production and refining also require a steady supply of water. power plants depend on rivers or lakes for cooling. The warmth and variability in precipitation can lead to declining snowpack, shifts in snowmelt, and extended droughts-all of which affect water supplies needed for energy systems. Overall, the climate is warming, and the atmosphere’s increasing capacity to hold moisture can lead to longer periods without rainfall. 5 In Arctic regions like Alaska, thawing permafrost causes land to sink and compromise fuel pipelines and other energy infrastructure. 4 More frequent and intense precipitation events are expected to increase the risk of flooding on infrastructure in the Northeast and the Midwest. 3 Energy systems on both the Gulf and East Coasts face more risk of damage from flooding due to hurricanes and sea level rise. energy supply in all regions of the country. Source: USGCRP, Fourth National Climate Assessment, 2018.Įxtreme weather and natural disasters pose significant risks to the U.S. Superstorm Sandy caused 8.7 million customers to lose power in 2012. Four key impacts are described in this section. Learn more about climate impacts on the energy sector :Ĭlimate change may affect the energy sector at both local and regional scales. These actions not only help address vulnerabilities to the energy system, but also reduce the emissions that are making climate change worse. Companies and researchers are developing and installing innovative and renewable technologies (such as wind and solar) that help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 2 Governments and businesses are sharing information with each other through private/public partnerships. For example, many states are upgrading and protecting their energy infrastructure from extreme weather. Therefore, climate impacts on these sectors can affect the energy system.īusinesses, governments, and others are taking many actions to increase the resiliency of the energy system to climate change. In addition, energy interacts with and depends on other sectors of the economy, such as water resources and transportation. Read more about greenhouse gas emissions on the Basics of Climate Change page. In turn, changes in climate can disrupt energy networks themselves, stress infrastructure, and pose safety risks to people. The energy sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.
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