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Clean Energy Solutions: Renewable Energy
Nearly 90 percent of our electricity still comes from polluting sources of energy like coal. Coal-burning power plants are the nation's largest source of carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping pollutant that causes global warming. Coal-fired power plants are also responsible for pollution that increases asthma attacks and worsens environmental problems like acid rain, haze, smog, and other air and water pollution.
However, we have the technology and the know-how to move beyond our dependence on polluting power plants by using clean, safe, and affordable renewable energy. By harnessing renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, geo-thermal, wave, biomass and others we can transform how we produce electricity. For instance, modern wind farms are leading the drive away from polluting sources of energy by capturing the massive wind power potential of the Midwest. Today's solar panels efficiently transform sunlight into electricity while blending into the design of homes and office buildings. In addition, concentrating solar plants (CSP) are large enough to replace coal fired power plants.
In order to harness this potential we need a renewable energy standard (RES). For example an RES that requires us to get 20 percent of our energy from renewable sources by 2020 would create:
- 820,000 new jobs from renewable energy development
- $66.7 billion in new capital investment
- $25.6 billion in income to farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners
- $2 billion in new local tax revenues
- $10.5 billion in lower electricity and natural gas bills by 2020 (growing to $31.8 billion by 2030)
- Reductions in global warming pollution equal to taking 36.4 million cars off the road
However, our clean energy future does not stop there. We can also rely on smarter use of the energy we currently produce through energy efficiency measures. By increasing energy efficiency through simple measures such as weatherizing homes to reduce electricity consumption, we can avoid the need for new polluting power plants. This is perhaps the simplest and most effective way to combat global warming by using available technologies that do the same amount of work but use less energy.
In order to harness this potential we need an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS). For example an EERS that generates savings equivalent to 15% of electricity consumption and 10% of natural gas consumption by 2020 could:
- Save $26 billion in consumer costs
- Eliminate 300 million tons of carbon emissions
- Reduce the need for 443 new 300 MW power plants
- Power 40 million homes
In sum, we can face the challenge posed by global warming by taking steps today towards unleashing a clean energy future.
Renewable energy installations in the United States nearly tripled between 2000 and 2008. All of this comes with little to no help or direction from the federal government. Imagine what we could do with the millions of dollars in subsidies that coal, oil, and gas companies receive each year? The time is now to reverse this skewed logic and demand a clean energy revolution.
Wind Energy
Wind energy is the fastest-growing source of power on the planet. With our tremendous wind resources-what some have deemed the 'Saudi Arabia of wind'--the United States can become a world leader in wind energy. It's no surprise that wind energy accounted for 93 percent of total installed renewable electricity capacity in 2008. In fact, in 2008 the United States surpassed Germany as the world leader in installed wind capacity. The Department of Energy has stated that we can get 20 percent of our power from wind energy alone by 2030.
Already, wind energy can compete with coal powered energy in terms of cost at around 4 cents per kilowatt hour. However, the federal government's National Renewable Energy Laboratory projects that the price of wind energy will fall even further over the next decade, making it the most economically competitive renewable energy technology.
As a growing power source, wind energy can become a major force for economic development. Wind development can save consumers money and bring construction jobs, leasing royalties, and increased tax revenues to local communities. If the United States were to reach the DOEs 20 percent wind energy supply scenario roughly 800,000 jobs would be created, annual property tax revenues would increase to $1.5 billion, and annual payments to rural landowners would increase to $600 million by 2030.
How Does it Work?
Standing as tall as 300 feet to capture the full force of the wind, modern wind turbines use state-of-the-art technology to turn wind into electricity. When the wind blows, the blades begin to spin, turning an electric generator to create electricity. This electricity is carried through the turbine tower underground, where it feeds into the electric grid.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant, renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has ample supplies. States are already taking advantage of this natural resource with California, Nevada, New Jersey, and Colorado leading the way in domestic solar installations. In fact, in January 2006, the California Public Utility Commission approved the California Solar Initiative, which dedicates $3.2 billion over 11 years to develop 3,000 megawatts of new solar electricity, equal to placing photovoltaic (PV) systems on a million rooftops (One MW of solar PV capacity can power 150 to 250 homes).
Despite the small percentage of overall power derived from solar energy, solar energy electricity generation more than tripled between 2000 and 2008. In addition, there are currently 80 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants under construction or with financing secured. All of this activity has the solar PV industry aiming to provide half of all new U.S. electricity generation by 2025.
How Does it Work?
Solar technologies allow us to capture the sun's energy in two principal ways. Solar PV panels, which frequently sit atop buildings, convert sunlight directly into electricity. These solar panels are made of cutting-edge silicon materials, similar to those used in computer chips. As light passes through the panels, it creates a current which generates electricity.
This process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage) gives us the photovoltaic effect. Also currently in use are solar thermal systems, which use the sun's heat to warm water for our businesses and homes.
Large-scale CSP systems can also produce energy at a central power plant. These allow us to reduce the construction of new coal fired power plants. CSP technologies use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect the solar energy and convert it to heat. This thermal energy can then be used to produce electricity via a steam turbine or heat engine driving a generator.
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal energy is right under our feet. The earth's core is like an inner sun, heating the earth's surface and warming the water and rocks beneath. This steaming water and rock can be used to generate heat and electricity. The uppermost six miles of the earth's crust alone contains more energy than all the oil and gas reserves in the world. Geothermal resources are considered base load meaning they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The United States leads the world in terms of installed geothermal electricity capacity and generation, with most of that power installed in California. While U.S. geothermal energy generation has remained relatively stable from 2000 to 2008, the past two years experienced more than 3 percent growth. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that geothermal power plants can provide15,000 MWs of new capacity within the next decade.
How does it work?
The most common form of geothermal power plant, a flash steam plant, uses water at temperatures greater than 360°F (182°C) that is pumped under high pressure to electricity generation equipment at the surface.
Biomass
Biomass energy provides plant powered heat, electricity, and transportation fuel. Plants absorb and store energy from the sun as they grow. With the right technologies and careful attention to responsible land-management practices, the energy contained in plants can be harnessed to produce heat and electricity.
Biomass energy can be created in a variety of ways. The largest source of energy from wood is "black liquor," a waste product from processes of the pulp, paper and paperboard industry. Waste energy is the second-largest source of biomass energy that is mainly created from municipal solid waste (MSW), manufacturing waste, and landfill gas. Finally, biomass can be turned into transportation fuels such as ethanol.
Ethanol and liquid transportation fuels--often referred to as "biofuels"--have received a flurry of attention from administrative policy makers in recent years as 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. However, as the science and understanding surrounding these biofuels grows we have come to learn that corn based ethanol and soy based biodiesel, so-called "first-generation" fuels, have considerably lower greenhouse gas reduction potential than "second-generation" fuels such as cellulosic ethanol, or even "third-generation" algae based fuels. There are also concerns regarding competition between these first generation fuels and food crops which contributed to the global food crisis during the summer of 2008. In fact domestically, nearly one-third of all corn planted will be used to create biofuels rather than food.
While biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions we must consider the full range of impacts their production entails including land use changes and affects on food production and prices. Ultimately, truly sustainable biofuels have a role in a clean energy future but we need to be very careful that misguided policies and mandates do not create costs that outweigh their benefits.
Harvesting the Benefits of Clean Energy
Producing 20 percent of our nation's electricity with renewable energy by 2020 is not only possible, it will create jobs, improve our economy, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. When combined with strong energy efficiency programs, we have the beginnings of a much needed clean energy revolution.
Spur Innovation
The United States, despite falling behind other nations in pursuing clean energy solutions, is beginning to create the proper incentives and structures for renewable energy investment. By reinvigorating our commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency, we can develop the technologies of tomorrow and find solutions for today's most pressing problems.
Curb Global Warming
Our nation's fossil fuel power plants are the primary source of carbon dioxide, the principal global warming pollutant. Boosting our use of renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency can eliminate the need for nearly a thousand new power plants over the next 20 years.
Improve Public Health
Pollution from existing power plants contributes to over 600,000 asthma attacks each year. Increasing energy efficiency and our use of renewable energy can take dangerous pollutants out of the air and let us all breathe a little easier.
Cut Energy Bills
Clean energy choices translate into good financial choices. Strong renewable energy policies can save us $10.5 billion in lower electricity and natural gas bills by 2020. In addition, more renewable energy means more insulation from price spikes resulting from uncertain supplies of dirty fuels. Similar to good investors diversifying their stock portfolio, using more renewable energy will diversify our electricity mix and make us less dependent on the performance of a small number of fuels.
Enhance Energy Security
Renewable energy is a reliable source of "home-grown" energy, allowing communities and homes to generate their own power. While current power plants and transmission lines place our energy infrastructure at risk of attack, decentralized renewable energy sources make it more difficult to disrupt large portions of the electrical grid.
Bring Jobs, Income, and Revenue to Rural America
Renewable energy development can be a powerful economic support for rural areas. Farmers and ranchers have received $2,000 per year in lease payments for each wind turbine operating on their land. Renewable energy projects also infuse local communities with increased tax revenues and generate local jobs.
Energy Efficiency is Easy and Saves you Money
The cleanest way to meet our electricity needs is by using less of it in the first place. By planning intelligently and using existing technology, we can cut our electricity consumption and slow down the meter. Improving energy efficiency lowers energy bills, eliminates the need for new power plants, increases our energy security, and keeps our environment clean.
We have already seen that energy efficiency works. We have the potential to reduce electricity consumption 25 percent by 2030 through energy efficiency measures alone. For instance, 30 percent of energy in buildings today is used inefficiently or unnecessarily. If we improved this by only 10 percent we could save $20 billion while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 30 million vehicles off the road.
In order to harness this potential we need a strong Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS). For example an EERS that generates savings equivalent to 15% of electricity consumption and 10% of natural gas consumption by 2020 could:
- Save $26 billion in consumer costs
- Eliminate 300 million tons of carbon emissions
- Reduce the need for 443 new 300 MW power plants
- Power 40 million homes
In addition to government action, we the people can take personal responsibility to make sure our homes, businesses, and appliances are as efficient as possible. For example, if every household in the United States switched to Energy Star light fixtures, we could prevent 50 million tons of global warming pollution per year, which would be equivalent to taking another 10 million cars off the road. Find out how you can use energy efficiency in your home to save you money and curb global warming!