NREL Study: Solar Power could provide 100 Times the Amount of Current U.S. Electricity Needs! [View all]
Source: Daily Kos
TUE JUL 31, 2012 AT 07:35 AM PDT
NREL Study: Solar Power could provide 100 Times the Amount of Current U.S. Electricity Needs!
by Lawrence
The NREL recently did a study on renewable energy potential in the U.S. and the results certainly expose the lies spouting from the mouths of the Republican(Big Fossil, Inc.) Party. Contrary to the nonsensical statements that we continuously hear from Republicans about solar power being a pipe dream, solar power actually has the greatest potential of any energy source in the U.S.
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The U.S. currently generates around 4k Terawatt hours of electricity from fossil, nuclear, and a small amount from renewables. What this NREL study clearly shows is that renewables, and especially solar power, blow all other sources out of the water in terms of electricity-generating potential. Solar alone could generate 400k Terawatt hours of electricity!
The study is even conservative in its estimates. For example, an efficiency rating of 13.5% was used for rooftop solar panels while a 20% efficiency rating is rapidly becoming the new normal with solar pv panels. In regards to urban utility scale solar, parking lots were excluded despite them having some of the greatest potential for urban solar power generation. So, not only is the solar power potential likely even more than 100 times our current electricity generation, it seems clear that rooftop solar and urban utility solar alone could provide us with all our electricity needs.
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/51946.pdf
Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/31/1115314/-NREL-Study-Solar-Power-could-provide-100-Times-the-Amount-of-Current-U-S-Electricity-Needs
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