A Plan to Power 100 Percent of the Planet with Renewables

In December leaders from around the world will meet in Copenhagen to try to agree on cutting back greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come. The most effective step to implement that goal would be a massive shift away from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy sources. If leaders can have confidence that such a transformation is possible, they might commit to an historic agreement. We think they can. A year ago former vice president Al Gore threw down a gauntlet: to repower America with 100 percent carbon-free electricity within 10 years. Select an option below: Customer Sign In *You must have purchased this issue or have a qualifying subscription to access this content

The Solar Guide | Your Complete Guide to Solar Energy Solar Panels in Schools Reduce Energy Costs | SunPower The West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) had been hit hard by budget cuts and needed a way to save money and address rising energy costs. A solar power project could do both, and with voter approved bonds, the school district received the capital improvement funding to make a solar project a reality. SunPower’s 2010 Commercial Dealer of the Year, RGS Energy, won the school district contract, and in only four months, the school district had a combined 834kW of solar power at three high schools. SOLAR BRINGS GENERAL FUND RELIEF In the five years up to 2011, the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) had cut 10% of all teaching positions and 32% of administrative and district office staff positions. SUNPOWER SOLAR PANELS MAXIMIZE ENERGY, MINIMIZE LAND USE The WSCUHSD wanted a solar project that offered the best possible return on investment, but the district had limited space for solar panels. Project Overview Benefits West Sonoma County Union HS District

What Role Should Government Play in Energy Production? - Energy and Environment Experts The best role for government in energy production may be in the R&D side in the national labs, universities, and so forth. But the choice of what to invest in should be done via a double blind review system by real experts in the relevant fields. The government might also think about developing energy research and application prizes, but these should also be as independent of the usual sordidness of real political economy as possible. Most large government programs to subsidize new technologies for energy or whatever have the lobbyists hunting about for the big game of government largess. Solyndra was no different. They were in lobby overdrive and that should have been a give-away that something was not right in Solyndraville. When all of the facts of the Solyndra case are in the open, if they ever are, we might find that the story is far more complex (surprise, surprise) than presented in the media recently. Why do I keep using quotes around “green energy”? Change can be good.