Report Shows the US has Nearly 200,000 GW of Solar Potential

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a report titled US Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis. As the title suggests, the report provides an in depth analysis of the renewable energy potential in the US.

It shows that rural utility-scale photovoltaic solar farms could dominate the US energy mix in the future, with 153,000 GW of potential.

Texas boasts 14% of the entire countries rural solar potential and about 20% of the concentrated solar power potential. The Lone Star State could change from a fossil fuel powerhouse to a renewable energy icon, and with that change could also see massive increase in economic growth.

There is the potential for 38,000 GW of concentrated solar power, 4,200 GW of potential for offshore wind, and 4,000 GW of geothermal potential.

Photovoltaic panels in urban locations were reported to have 1,200 GW potential, and 664 GW for rooftop solar panels.

By. Joao Peixe of Oilprice.com