Renewable Energy Atlas
http://www.energyatlas.org/default.aspWhat is the Renewable Energy Atlas?
The Atlas is an 80-page, full-color presentation of the renewable energy resources in the West, including newly-released high-resolution wind maps of the Pacific Northwest. The Atlas profiles wind, solar, geothermal and biomass power.
Who is the Atlas for?
The Atlas is for anyone interested in renewable energy in the West, including advocates, developers, landowners, and policy makers.
Who created the Atlas?
Sponsored by the Hewlett Foundation and The Energy Foundation, the Atlas was created by the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (SEED), Green Info Network and Integral GIS.
http://www.energyatlas.org/about_atlas/purpose.asp
Utilizing state-of-the-art GIS technology, the Atlas brings together the best existing renewable resource maps and data into a single comprehensive, publicly available document and interactive Web site. It does not provide a new regional assessment of renewable resources, but rather shows the current understanding of these resources throughout the West and highlights the issues affecting their development. In addition, it identifies areas where new data are needed in order to more accurately represent the region's renewable energy resources.
While the maps contained in this Atlas do not eliminate the need for on-site resource measurement, they can help developers gain a better understanding of where the best renewable resource areas are found and screen out the less promising areas. This can significantly minimize the cost and time involved in prospecting. Landowners can use the information for a first-cut feasibility analysis of using renewable resources to supply electrical power to their homes, farms, ranches and businesses, while policymakers will find it a useful tool for broader planning purposes.
http://www.energyatlas.org/about_atlas/summary.asp
The Atlas begins with an overview of regional maps of the wind, solar, biomass and geothermal resources. The second section describes the current status of renewable energy development, including a summary of the region's current electricity supply mix and a map of the locations and installed capacity of existing renewable energy facilities. A regional map shows state-level policies, including tax incentives, system benefits charges and portfolio standards, which have been implemented in several states to stimulate the development of renewable energy. The final section in the overview addresses important issues to consider in developing new renewable energy projects, including transmission capacity, load growth, land use and environmental impacts.
The Atlas continues with individual sections for each of the eleven Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Each state section features success stories of renewable energy development, state-level maps of wind, solar, biomass and geothermal resources and summaries of existing policies, installed renewable energy facilities and the current electricity supply mix. The final sections of the Atlas include a glossary, a technical notes section, and a list of resources for further information.
http://www.energyatlas.org/contents/default.asp
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Transmission Constraints
The existing transmission system presents both barriers and opportunities to renewable energy development in the West. On one hand, access to transmission is an important component of developing large-scale wind, solar, geothermal, or biomass facilities, which are often sited far from load centers. As wholesale electric markets have developed over the last decade and electric demand has grown, many major transmission paths across the West have become increasingly constrained, at least during some hours of the year. Absent new transmission system investments or changes in how existing transmission capacity is allocated, transmission constraints may limit large-scale renewable energy development in the region. On the other hand, some renewable resources can be installed near load centers and may gain an economic edge due to their ability to ease congestion.
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Land Use Considerations
The West is blessed with an abundance of renewable energy resources. It is also blessed with wildlands, habitat critical for wildlife, sensitive watersheds, recreation areas, and cultural and historical sites. Renewables development must be done in an environmentally and culturally sensitive manner to ensure that the West's tremendous natural heritage is not diminished. Extensive land ownership data can help guide decisions regarding appropriate areas for development of renewables.
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