Electricity from Renewable Resources

A component in the America's Energy Future study, Electricity from Renewable Resources examines the technical potential for electric power generation with alternative sources such as wind, solar-photovoltaic, geothermal, solar-thermal, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources. The book focuses on those renewable sources that show the most promise for initial commercial deployment within 10 years and will lead to a substantial impact on the U.S. energy system. A quantitative characterization of technologies, this book lays out expectations of costs, performance, and impacts, as well as barriers and research and development needs. In addition to a principal focus on renewable energy technologies for power generation, the book addresses the challenges of incorporating such technologies into the power grid, as well as potential improvements in the national electricity grid that could enable better and more extensive utilization of wind, solar-thermal, solar photovoltaics, and other renewable technologies. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Resource Base 3 Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies 4 Economics of Renewable Electricity 5 Environmental Impacts of Renewable Electricity Generation 6 Deployment of Renewable Electric Energy 7 Scenarios Appendixes Appendix A: America's Energy Future Project Appendix B: Panel Biographical Information Appendix C: Presentations to the Panel Appendix D: Description of State Renewables Portfolio Standards Appendix E: Attributes of Life-Cycle Assessment Appendix F: Atmospheric Emissions from Fossil-Fuel and Nuclear Electricity Generation