[dohboi]

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/07/27/study-shows-renewable-energy-potential-in-every-state/

Study Shows Renewable Energy Potential in Every State

A new study produced by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has shown that every state in the United States of America has the space and resources to generate clean energy.

The report, U.S. RE Technical Potential, looked at the available renewable resources in every state in the nation, and established an upper boundary estimate of development potential.

http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2012/1948.html

Results

For each technology, we provide a brief summary of our findings along with a figure (map) showing the total estimated technical potential for all states and a table listing the total estimated technical potential by state.

Solar Power Technologies

Utility-Scale PV (Urban)

The total estimated annual technical potential in the United States for urban utility-scale PV is 2,232 terawatt-hours (TWh). Texas and California have the highest estimated technical potential, a result of a combination of good solar resource and large population. Figure 2 and Table 2 present the total estimated technical potential for urban utility-scale PV.

Utility-Scale PV (Rural)

Rural utility-scale PV leads all other technologies in technical potential. This is a result of relatively high power density, the absence of minimum resource threshold, and the availability of large swaths for development. Texas accounts for roughly 14% (38,993 TWh) of the entire estimated U.S. technical potential for utility-scale PV (280,613 TWh). Figure 3 and Table 3 present the total estimated technical potential for rural utility-scale PV.

Rooftop PV

Total annual technical potential for rooftop PV is estimated at 818 TWh. States with the largest technical potential typically have the largest populations. California has the highest technical potential of 106 TWh due to its mix of high population and relatively good solar resource. Figure 4 and Table 4 present the total estimated technical potential for rural utility-scale PV.

Concentrating Solar Power

Technical potential for CSP exists predominately in the Southwest. The steep cutoff of potential, as seen in Figure 5, can be attributed to the resource minimum threshold of 5 kWh/m2/day that was used in the analysis. Texas has the highest estimated potential of 22,786 TWh, which accounts for roughly 20% of the entire estimated U.S. annual technical potential for CSP (116,146 TWh). Figure 5 and Table 5 present the total estimated technical potential for concentrating solar power.

Wind Power Technologies

Onshore Wind Power

Technical potential for onshore wind power, which is present in nearly every state, is largest in the western and central Great Plains and lowest in the southeastern United States. While the wind resource intensity in the Great Plains is not as high as it is in some areas of the western United States, very little of the land area is excluded due to insufficient resource or due to other exclusions. In the eastern and western United States, the wind resource is more limited in coverage and is more likely to be impacted by environmental exclusions. Texas has the highest estimated annual potential of 5,552 TWh, which accounts for roughly 17% of the entire estimated U.S. annual technical potential for onshore wind (32,784 TWh). Figure 6 and Table 6 present the total estimated technical potential for onshore wind power.

Offshore Wind Power

Technical potential for offshore wind power is present in significant quantities in all offshore regions of the United States. Wind speeds off the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico are lower than they are off the Pacific Coast, but the presence of shallower waters there makes these regions more attractive for development. Hawaii has the highest estimated annual potential of 2,837 TWh, which accounts for roughly 17% of the entire estimated U.S. annual technical potential for offshore wind (16,975 TWh). Figure 7 and Table 7 present the total estimated technical potential for offshore wind power.

Biopower Technologies

Biopower (Solid and Gaseous)

Solid biomass accounts for 82% of the 400 TWh total estimated annual technical potential of biopower; of that, crop residues are the largest contributor. Gaseous biomass has an estimated annual technical potential of 88 TWh, of which landfills were the largest contributor. Figure 8 and Table 8 present the total estimated technical potential for biopower.

Geothermal Energy Technologies

Hydrothermal Power Systems

In the assessment, 71 TWh of electric power generation potential is the estimated total from existing (identified) hydrothermal sites spread among 13 states. An additional 237 TWh of undiscovered hydrothermal resources are estimated to exist among these same states. Figure 9 and Table 9 present the total estimated technical potential for hydrothermal power systems.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems

The vast majority of the geothermal potential for EGS (31,344 TWh) within the contiguous United States is located in the westernmost portion of the country. The Rocky Mountain States, and the Great Basin particularly, contain the most favorable resource for EGS (17,414 TWh). However, even the central and eastern portions of the country have 13,930 TWh of potential for EGS development. Note that, especially in western states, a considerable portion of the EGS resource occurs on protected land and was filtered out after exclusions were applied. Figure 10 and Table 10 present the total estimated technical potential for enhanced geothermal systems.

Hydropower Technologies

Hydropower

According to Hall et al. (2006), technical potential for hydropower exists predominately in the Northwest and Alaska with a combined total estimated at 69 TWh annually, which accounts for roughly 27% of the entire estimated U.S. annual technical potential for hydropower (259 TWh). Figure 11 and Table 11 present the total estimated technical potential for hydropower.

(Lots of nice charts and maps in the pdfs as well.)

For reference, in 2009, total US energy use was 25,000 TWh, of which 4,000 was for electricity (what most of these replace).

[dohboi]

At about 800 TWh, roof top looks like one of the least plentiful potential sources for PV.

But the total electric demand is only about 4000 TWh, so rooftops could supply nearly a fourth of that (at 2009 rates).

Furthermore, only about a third of that total electricity is for residential use.

http://www.mpoweruk.com/electricity_demand.htm (Third chart--the pie chart.)

So urban rooftop could supply well over half of residential electricity! (In theory, and again, at or near current rates of use.)

And rooftop PV has the large advantage of being as close as you can get to the end use, so it will have very little loss from transmission (something not figured in with these stats).

This becomes even more doable if you cut residential electricity use by more than half, through vigorous efforts to reduce demand, both through conservation, but especially through curtailment.

We have to start thinking of electricity (and energy in general) as a precious commodity that we use mostly for the most crucial purposes--survival necessities such as AC or fans for the vulnerable elderly, some lighting, some forms of communication...and eventually some essential forms of transport--food, emergency services...

For other purposes, we need to go back to other ways of supplying those needs and wants, or do without.

Entertainment can be gotten without the use of electricity. Singing, dancing, playing instruments, card, other games, theater, reading...can and have all been done without the need for electricity. Time to start seeing all forms of electrified entertainment as the needless wastes they are, wastes we can no longer afford.

Nearly all outdoor lighting is unnecessary, and it prevents us from seeing the glories of the night sky--robs us of gazing in wonder directly into the face of God(ddess), for the theistic among us.

Manufacturers of appliances have to stop building in 'phantom loads.'

But really, most appliances do things that don't crucially require electricity--we need to go back to (gasp!) mixing things by hand, sweeping and mopping rather than vacuuming, washing dishes by hand...It's not as if most Americans are getting too much exercise!