Solar Energy
As a nation, we have the responsibility to provide for ourselves in the most effective and least harmful way possible. Our current reliance on fossil fuels is hindering us from this and needs to end. Renewable energy is the way of the future and should be held more valuable. In particular, solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy resource we currently have available to us in the United States. There needs to be programs and regulations put into place that can help wean us off fossil fuels and push us into the future with solar energy.
The United States has over two billion acres of land and millions of these acres would be excellent for solar energy systems. Previous research and calculations suggests that we could “meet the U.S. ' total electric demand with a footprint of about 0.6 percent of the nation 's total land area, or somewhere around 14-15 million acres” ("Calculating Solar Energy 's Land-Use Footprint"). Of course these numbers vary greatly depending on placement and type of system but it does give us a general idea of the amount of land we would need. Compared to how much land we have already allocated for oil drilling and other similar things it’s really not much at all. It’s also important to …show more content…
The Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office has been trying to meet the goals set into place by the Sunshot Initiative. The SunShot initiative 's three main goals are to “make clean, low-cost, reliable solar energy available for homeowners, communities, businesses, and government, reduce emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and other pollutants, and create U.S. jobs through solar manufacturing and distribution” (“About the Solar Office”). Having goals like this help get the word out about just how much brighter and more rewarding energy’s future is when you have solar
As a nation, we have the responsibility to provide for ourselves in the most effective and least harmful way possible. Our current reliance on fossil fuels is hindering us from this and needs to end. Renewable energy is the way of the future and should be held more valuable. In particular, solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy resource we currently have available to us in the United States. There needs to be programs and regulations put into place that can help wean us off fossil fuels and push us into the future with solar energy.
The United States has over two billion acres of land and millions of these acres would be excellent for solar energy systems. Previous research and calculations suggests that we could “meet the U.S. ' total electric demand with a footprint of about 0.6 percent of the nation 's total land area, or somewhere around 14-15 million acres” ("Calculating Solar Energy 's Land-Use Footprint"). Of course these numbers vary greatly depending on placement and type of system but it does give us a general idea of the amount of land we would need. Compared to how much land we have already allocated for oil drilling and other similar things it’s really not much at all. It’s also important to …show more content…
The Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office has been trying to meet the goals set into place by the Sunshot Initiative. The SunShot initiative 's three main goals are to “make clean, low-cost, reliable solar energy available for homeowners, communities, businesses, and government, reduce emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and other pollutants, and create U.S. jobs through solar manufacturing and distribution” (“About the Solar Office”). Having goals like this help get the word out about just how much brighter and more rewarding energy’s future is when you have solar