As usual... Scientific American has come up with a under expensed, over engineered plan to end U.S. dependence on foreign oil using solar energy.
President Carters dream didn't happen and Scientific American's won't unless a better "united" approach is not taken. Every state has "viable" renewable energy sources that can take the U.S. off outside sources in a decade. But, plans like this drive a renewable reality into just another "dream". Read more on this here
Better than the poorly laid out trillion dollar conceptual idea from Scientific America .. I would implore that just California enact a target date to be "off grid using ONYL renewable energy.
California holds over 10% of the U.S. population and consumes more than 15% of U.S. energy... still using natural gas for 50% of their needs (Yikes)
It would be nice if they could use all the "Free Energy" at their disposal as they have the highest capacity at their disposal:
CA Generating Capacity for renewable energy... Source (DOE)
* Biomass: 1,022.0 MW
* Geothermal: 2,463.0 MW
* Hydroelectric: 13,109.0 MW
* Photovoltaic: 41.0 MW
* Solar Thermal: 354.0 MW
* Wind: 1,922.0 MW
* Biomass: 1,022.0 MW
* Geothermal: 2,463.0 MW
* Hydroelectric: 13,109.0 MW
* Photovoltaic: 41.0 MW
* Solar Thermal: 354.0 MW
* Wind: 1,922.0 MW
Then focus on selling excess renewable energy as a commodity like the French.
If California just supplied their own renewable energy and sold excess their boarding states we would reach Jimmy Carters dream of 20% renewable energy supplying the U.S.
Just a few decades too late ;-(
Ohhh how we forget...
On July 15 1979, President Jimmy Carter delivered his politically inopportune "malaise speech", remembered for its downcast assessment of the country's mood. Less well-known is this startling passage: "I will soon submit legislation to Congress calling for the creation of this nation's first solar bank, which will help us achieve the crucial goal of 20% of our energy coming from solar power by the year 2000."
Suffice it to say, 2000 came and went, and solar still provides less than 1% of US energy.
History and Math needed in U.S. Congress
