Sunday, June 24, 2012

Thanks to Seth Handy

One of my radio co-host for sending an excellent new post:  Here's the link:  http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/23802


Some of the story:  

Renewable Energy Can Supply 80% of US Electricity

SustainableBusiness.com News
"Renewable energy can supply 80% of US electricity demand by 2050, concludes a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), theRenewable Electricity Futures Study (RE Futures).
The technology needed is available today and is "more than adequate" combined with a more flexible electric system.
That increased electric system flexibility, necessary to balance supply with demand, can be met by a portfolio of flexible conventional generation, grid storage, new transmission, more responsive loads, and changes in power system operations.
The abundance and diversity of US renewable energy resources, such as geothermal, solar, wind and wave energy, can support multiple combinations of renewable technologies that result in deep reductions in electric sector greenhouse gas emissions and water use.
All regions of the US could contribute substantial renewable electricity supply in 2050, consistent with their local renewable resource base.
"While this analysis suggests such a high renewable generation future is possible, a transformation of the electricity system would need to occur to make this future a reality. This transformation, involving every element of the grid, from system planning through operation, would need to ensure adequate planning and operating reserves, increased flexibility of the electric system, and expanded multi-state transmission infrastructure, and would likely rely on the development and adoption of technology advances, new operating procedures, evolved business models, and new market rules," the report says."
Our experience has been very affirming of this conclusion--with deep reductions in energy use, through efficiency, and the improved capacity of renewable sources, particularly the amazing output increases coming out of the solar side, we can very quickly move off fossil fuel sources.  And, as we've pointed out, the economic benefits of stopping the flow of oil into this country, and the flow of dollars out of this country, dollars that stay and invest in jobs and companies at home, is the next great industrial revolution that historians will talk about as a huge game changer in a 100 years.
Tomorrow, we will post a link to last week's radio show that spanned from e-waste recycling to the amazing role honey bees play in our world's food source and economy.   Stay tuned.

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