Electricity from Renewable Resources : Status, Prospects, and Impediments

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 ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Resource Base3 Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies4 Economics of Renewable Electricity5 Environmental Impacts of Renewable Electricity Generation6 Deployment of Renewable Electric Energy7 ScenariosAppendixesAppendix A: America's Energy Future ProjectAppendix B: Panel Biographical InformationAppendix C: Presentations to the PanelAppendix D: Description of State Renewables Portfolio StandardsAppendix E: Attributes of Life-Cycle AssessmentAppendix F: Atmospheric Emissions from Fossil-Fuel and NuclearElectricity Generation