Study: U.S. can get 25 percent of energy from renewable sources (by 2025)

[jpak]

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/11/13/daily29.html

The United States can produce 25 percent of its energy supply from renewable sources by 2025, according to a new study released Wednesday in Kansas City.

Researchers at the University of Tennessee conducted the study, which Washington-based 25x'25 is scheduled to release at a news conference at the Westin Crown Center hotel. The group is a nonprofit alliance of organizations founded in 2004 and connected with the Energy Future Coalition's Agriculture Work Group.

With continued advancements in technology and significant shifts in cropping patterns, U.S. farmers, ranchers and foresters all can contribute to the 25 percent energy goal while still providing abundant supplies of food, feed and fiber, 25x'25 said in a release.

"This cutting-edge research provides the first comprehensive look at how both crop and livestock production might respond to increased demands for renewable energy," J. Read Smith, co-chairman of the 25x'25 Project Steering Committee, said in the release. "Not only would reaching the goal drastically reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, (but ) it would also have an extremely favorable impact on rural America and the nation as a whole. This report says we could see more than $700 billion in economic activity and 5.1 million new jobs."

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[GreenPartyVoter]

1. We can do way better than that. Just put solar shingles on every building possible

[XemaSab]

2. The bottleneck for solar

is in the manufacturing.

It's energy intensive and there aren't many places doing it.

[jpak]

3. Except CA, NY, NJ, PA, ME, CT, MA, FL, Japan, Germany, Spain and a bunch of other places

:evilgrin:

:hi:

Also, PV module prices have stabilized in the US and fallen (a bit) in Europe - the bottleneck is loosening...

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. And gonna keep getting better in price too, I think. Tech is always improving

[JohnWxy]

5. Solar certainly warrrants development, but such a large scale investment you describe

would be more cost effectively directed at Wind Farm installations. YOu would get far more megaWatts from wind turbines than solar panels. If you are looking for the biggest GHG reductions for dollar invested.

[The2ndWheel]

6. 25% of what by 2025?

Of the current demand for energy? Diminished demand? Increased demand?

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Any word on the other 75%?

Or is that for our kids to sort out?

[jpak]

8. There is a 25x25 (25% by 2025) movement here in the states

They are trying to convince our wonnerful lawmakers to implement it.

It's a very low hurdle and (hopefully) politically palatable to the RW.

It's also a good strategy to make - and keep - Dem gains in the so-called Heartland (ag midwest).

No one considers this is the endpoint....