How much land would be needed to generate 50% of our energy needs from renewables such as solar and wind? An April 21, 2021 article by David Merrill in Bloomberg News provides some useful information. I learned that in order to fulfill President Biden's vision of an emission-free grid by 2035, the U.S. needs to increase its carbon-free capacity by at least 150%. Expanding solar and wind by 10% annually until 2030 would require the amount of land equal to the state of South Dakota. By 2050, when Biden wants the entire economy to be carbon-free, the U.S. would need up to four additional South Dakotas to develop enough clean power to run all the electric vehicles, factories, and more.
Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? It's not quite so bad, though, because some solar can be installed on rooftops, and some wind farms can be built offshore. Also, nuclear and hydroelectric power can be added to the mix.
According to Forbes, renewables are already less expensive than fossil fuels. And dirty fossil fuels continue to enjoy some of the subsidies that they've received for the past 100 years. While it's true that renewable energy is only part of what needs to be a global solution, we have to get to zero emissions. Our future depends on it.
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