Chapter 16, Problem 1CR

To determine

The potential for using renewable energy from the wind to produce most of the electricity used in the United States.

Answer to Problem 1CR

The United States has sufficient wind potential to meet 16 to 22 times its current electricity needs according to the study published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Also, the cost required to generate electricity is very less than that is required to generate using nuclear fossil fuel cycle.

Explanation of Solution

A study published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences assessed that the United States has sufficient wind potential to meet 16 to 22 times its current electricity needs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the wind farms that are situated at the favorable sites in three states such as North Dakota, Kansas, and Texas can meet the electricity needs of the lower 48 states when a modern electrical grid is available for the distribution of the electricity. In addition, the NREL estimates that winds off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the shores of the Great Lakes can generate 4 times the electricity currently used in the lower 48 states and it is more than enough electricity to replace all of the coal fired power plants in the country. Many states in these regions are planning to tap into this huge energy source and thereby enhance their economies.

A study conducted by DOE in 2015 shows that the United States can generate 30% of its electricity from wind by 2030 with the continuation of subsidies from government. This can result in 600,000 jobs and lower energy bills. It can decrease the pollution in air and slow the climate change ocean acidification by decreasing the use of coal for the generation of electricity.