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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

All renewable energy supply for U.S.?

Researchers from Stanford have a plan to get all 50 U.S. states operating on 100% renewable energy by 2050. They think that that's completely possible with existing technology, however it will require huge shift from business as usual for the energy sector.
Professor Jacobson and the team figured out how each state could use a combination of renewable energy sources using current technologies like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric, to keep the grid running. The specific mix for each state was determined by analyzing sun exposure, consulting wind maps, and weighing the cost and benefits of other types of energy like geothermal. The plan comes at huge upfront cost, but because resources like sunlight and wind are free, the cost will even out after a few years and be roughly equal to the existing fossil fuel-driven industry.  Read more at http://www.businessinsider.com/