Availability of Options

Renewable energy is promising.  After looking into the types of renewable energy, the availability and feasibility of these sources must also be considered.   While most of these sources are still in the developmental stages, it is still important to observe the abundance of the resources throughout the United States in order to determine if enough of a supply exists to satisfy the growing energy appetite.    Also, the location of the resource may actually lead to a regional renewable energy source, versus a national “brand”.  For example, hydroelectric power is already commonly used in the northwest United States, with many hydroelectric dams placed in their rapid rivers.  Also, numerous ethanol pumps are available in the Corn Belt, the same region that is able to abundantly produce the current corn ethanol input.  We will look into the resource distribution of geothermal, wind and solar sources.

Geothermal is not a new resource for renewable energy and has been used to generate electricity since 1904 by an Italian power plant. Utilizing the earth’s own heat to create energy has resulted in geothermal energy to become an available and trustworthy source of energy.  Qualifications for a geothermal site include available water, high temperatures close to the surface, and rock formations to keep the heated water within a controlled area.  Because of the mandatory conditions, geothermal is not a viable option everywhere.  Citing Black & Veatch’s “Renewable Energy Options” again, they provided valuable graphics displaying the availability of geothermal energy across the US.

Another concern regarding resource availability is wind energy.  While traveling to Orlando, Florida last March, the meteorologists warned us of a windy day with gusts up to 15 miles per hour.  Normally, that may qualify as a breeze in South Dakota.  Understandably, different areas receive different winds speeds.  Furthermore, many areas are not suited for wind energy because of dense populations or environmental concerns.  The following chart, also from the Black & Veatch source, accounts all of these factors in displaying the availability of wind energy. Note: South Dakota boasts large potential, while Florida is out of the picture.

Finally, solar energy.  After capture’s the sun’s rays, the energy can be converted into thermal or electrical energy.  Converting the sun’s energy into electrical energy, or solar photovoltaic, is believed to be one of the most environmentally friendly renewable resources since there is minimal noise or emissions.  While solar energy is available across the US, often there is not enough sunlight to meet a large energy demand.  The downfall of solar energy is the immense amount of sunlight needed to obtain copious amounts to meet commercial scale demand.  The southwestern US appears to be the ideal location for such commercial production.

In conclusion, the US energy demand is not one size fits all and our renewable energy options may not be either.  By creating solar systems in California, Utah Arizona and Nevada, wind farms in Texas to North Dakota and Illinois to Montana, and geothermal west of the Mississippi, the United States may be able to capitalize on our diverse renewable energy sources to create a synergy able of decreasing our dependence of foreign energy.