Renewable energy commercialization in the United States Facts for Kids

The wind, Sun and biomass are three renewable energy sources

Renewable energy is power that comes from natural sources that can be replaced, like sunlight, wind, and water. Unlike fossil fuels (like coal or oil), these sources don't run out. The United States is working on using more and more renewable energy. Some types, like wind and solar power, are already widely used and sold across the country.

Wind Power: A Growing Energy Source
Solar Power: Harnessing the Sun's Energy
- Big Solar Farms in the U.S.
- Solar Energy is Expanding
Renewable Fuels for Cars
Images for kids
See also

Wind Power: A Growing Energy Source

Wind power is becoming a big deal in the United States. It uses giant turbines to catch the wind and turn it into electricity. The amount of wind power used in the U.S. has grown a lot. For example, in 2012, there was enough wind power to light up three million homes!

Texas is the top state for wind power, with lots of wind farms. California is also a leader in using wind energy. These states have many large wind farms that help power homes and businesses.

Solar Power: Harnessing the Sun's Energy

Solar power uses the sun's rays to create electricity. There are two main ways to do this:

Solar thermal power: This method uses mirrors to focus sunlight and heat up a liquid, which then creates steam to spin a turbine and make electricity.
Photovoltaic (PV) power: This uses special panels, often seen on roofs, that turn sunlight directly into electricity.

Big Solar Farms in the U.S.

The United States has some very large solar power plants.

The Nevada Solar One plant can produce 64 megawatts (MW) of power.
The SEGS plants in the Mojave Desert are even bigger, making 354 MW. This makes them one of the largest solar power systems in the world.
For PV power, the Springerville Generating Station in Arizona is one of the largest, producing 4.6 MW.

Solar Energy is Expanding

Experts found that the amount of new solar electricity grew by 76 percent from 2011 to 2012. This means the U.S. is now responsible for more than 10 percent of the world's new solar power installations. This is a big jump from just a few years ago!

Renewable Fuels for Cars

Besides electricity, renewable energy can also power cars. Most cars in the U.S. can use a mix of gasoline and up to 10% ethanol fuel. Ethanol is a fuel made from plants, like corn. Some car makers even build vehicles that can run on much higher amounts of ethanol. This helps reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for transportation.

Images for kids

The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm is an 845 megawatt (MW) wind farm in the state of Oregon
Solar arrays at the 550 MW Desert Sunlight Solar Farm
2018 Profile of Renewables
2017 Profile of Renewables
The Hoover Dam when completed in 1936 was both the world's largest electric-power generating station and the world's largest concrete structure.
The 781 MW Roscoe Wind Farm in Texas, at sunrise.
Landowners typically receive $3,000 to $5,000 per year in rental income from each wind turbine, while farmers continue to grow crops or graze cattle up to the foot of the turbines.
Photovoltaic solar panels on a house roof
The 392 MW Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in California: The facility's three towers.
Looking north towards the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility's eastern boiler tower from Interstate 15 in California.
2018/2017 Profile of Electric Energy produced by Geothermal
Electricity produced by biomass in 2018 and 2017
Information on pump, California.
Selected state renewable portfolio standards with 2018 revisions. 29 states have adopted policies targeting a percentage of their energy to come from renewable sources
2018 & 2017 Profile of US Electric Energy Generation from Utility Solar
2018 Profile of US Electric Energy from Solar
Solar Electric Energy including Small Scale
Solar Farms across the US
Solar Projects Capacity Factor
2017 Top Ten Solar States
Top Five Utility Solar States
Top five States for Distributed Solar