Bensley+Matrix+-+Solar+&+Wind



Energy is a hot topic in America today, and for good reason. Even the most conservative scientists agree that at the current pace, the world’s oil supply will be effectively exhausted by the end of the century. However, the energy source(s) with which we will replace fossil fuels is still a subject of much debate. Two of the most promising and renewable energy resources are wind turbines and the various methods of collecting solar energy. However, even these face strong political opposition, technical challenges, and cultural resistance. The most glaring problem for both wind and solar power is a simple question of feasibility: can these sources truly provide a significant portion of America’s ever-increasing energy needs? Currently, wind power provides approximately 43.6MW of energy in the United States, or 2.3% of all electricity used. According to the Department of Energy, wind energy—including offshore turbines—could provide 20% of America’s electricity by 2030, about the same proportion as is provided by nuclear power today. Solar power is currently less commercially available than wind, but growing rapidly. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that solar power could provide approximately 48,000MW of energy by 2035 if current solar energy policies are renewed beyond their current expiration in 2016. Cost is another major point of contention in the renewable energy debate. According to the EIA the per-watt cost of solar power decreased in 2011 while the cost of natural gas, coal, and nuclear power all increased. Meanwhile, wind energy has recently become as inexpensive as electricity from natural gas—about six cents per kilowatt-hour—and even cheaper than coal-fired electricity, which costs about 8 cents per kilowatt-hour (or much more, if other related costs are accounted for). Finally, many people complain about the noise pollution and aesthetic changes brought on by wind farms, be they offshore or on land. For example, the Cape Wind project in the Nantucket Sound drew criticism from local residents who complained about the possible appearance of wind turbines on the shoreline. Onshore, residents in potential wind farm areas are often concerned about the noise produced by turbines. Meanwhile, people often say that one of the problems with private solar power generation is that putting solar panels on one’s roof detracts from the home’s appearance. The future of wind and solar power is promising. The technical issues in producing sufficient amounts of power are being worked on currently by some of the best engineers in the world, at some of the most well-regarded companies in the world; General Electric and Siemens are the top manufacturers of wind turbines in the United States. While oil is still the cheapest mass-produced energy source in the world, there is a simple solution to decrease the costs of wind and solar power. Oil companies currently receive at least $4 billion per year in tax subsidies; repealing these tax breaks and reallocating funds to the renewable energy industry would be a monumental change in policy and could fund research that provides decreased costs and increased reliability in sustainable energy sources. The aesthetics of wind turbines are the most uncertain point of contention; a shift in culture and perception is needed. People must be able to view wind turbines and solar panels as a symbol of the future—a future that has sustainable energy for generations to come.

Sources:  DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (26 Apr 2011). Wind Turbines: In the Wake of the Wind. //ScienceDaily//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[|http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2011/04/110426151040.htm] >  DOE (Feb 2011). Strengthening America's Energy Security with Offshore Wind. //Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]>  N.A. (2010). Total Energy Flow, 2010. //Energy Information Association//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]>  N.A. (Apr 2011). Annual Energy Outlook 2011. //Energy Information Association.// Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]>  Newell, Richard (16 Dec 2010). Annual Energy Outlook 2011. //Energy Information Administration//. 10 Nov 2011. <[]>  Shahan, Zachary (1 May 2011). Cost of Wind Power. //Clean Technica//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Daley, Beth (28 Apr 2010). Interior Secretary Approves Cape Wind, Nation's First Offshore Wind Farm. //The Boston Globe//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Alberts, Daniel (Oct 2006). Addressing Wind Turbine Noise. //Lawrence Technological University//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011 <[]> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Bayar, Tildy (4 Aug 2011). World Wind Market: Record Installations, but Growth Rates Still Falling. //Renewable Energy World//. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Kocienewski, David (3 Jul 2011). As Oil Industry Fights a Tax, it Reaps Subsidies. //The New York Times.// Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. <[]>

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Image Sources: <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Background: Bensley, David. “Wind Turbines in Kansas” photo. 21 May 2011. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Top Left: N.A. “Photovoltaic Solar Panels” photo. Solar Panel 17 Sep 2011. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. < []> <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">Bottom Right: N.A. “Solar Collectors” photo. Solar Collector PV Systems. Retrieved 10 Nov 2011. < []>