The total cost for fossil fuels in the Reference Scenario between2005 and 2030 amounts to $10.85 trillion, compared to $8.7trillion in the Energy [R]evolution Scenario with fuel costsdecreasing as renewable energy takes up a larger share of theenergy mix. This means that fuel costs in the Energy [R]evolutionScenario are 20 percent lower by 2030 than the ReferenceScenario and 50 percent lower by 2050.

Although the investment costs of gas-fired power stations andcogeneration plants remains relatively high in both Scenarios, totalinvestment in coal-fired power plants in the Energy [R]evolutionScenario is 75 percent less than the Reference Scenario. In fact,the additional costs for coal fuel from today until the year 2030would be as high as $2.3 trillion under the Reference Scenario. Thissavings alone would cover the entire investment in renewable andcogeneration capacity required to implement the Energy[R]evolution Scenario.

On the other hand, because renewable energy has no fuel costs, thetotal fuel cost savings in the Energy [R]evolution Scenario is nearly$2.1 trillion, or $84 billion per year. These renewable energysources will produce electricity without any further fuel costsbeyond 2030, while the costs for coal and gas will continue toburden the U.S. economy.

Bottom line, the additional fuel costs required by the ReferenceScenario are almost double the additional investment required bythe Energy [R]evolution Scenario.