Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA by List

Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA: Renewable energy initiatives in the USA aim to increase the use of clean energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal power. These initiatives promote the development of renewable energy technologies and infrastructure.

The government gives benefits like tax breaks and money, to help businesses and people invest in renewable energy. Energy companies are also starting to use more renewable energy to make less pollution and meet goals for renewable energy. People are also trying to use energy more efficiently and use more electric cars to use less oil and gas.

USA Renewable Energy Target 2030

The Biden administration aims to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources in the U.S. by 2035. They plan to achieve 80% renewable energy generation by 2030 and completely carbon-free electricity by 2035.

Despite fossil fuels still contributing to 79% of U.S. energy production in 2021 meeting these targets will require significant investments. Investments in America’s energy transition reached a record $141 billion last year, as reported by BloombergNEF.

This trend is expected to continue with the Inflation Reduction Act which allocates approximately $370 billion in funding and subsidies for green technologies, passed in August.

List of Renewable Energy Initiatives in USA

Renewable energy initiatives in the USA include a broad range of policies, programs, and investments aimed at increasing the use of clean and sustainable energy sources. Here’s an overview:

Initiative Name	Launch Date
Sun Shot	February 2011
Wind Powering America	1999
Solar America Initiative	2006
California Solar Initiative	2006
Green Power Partnership	–
Renewable Portfolio Standards	–

Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA

Renewable energy initiatives in the USA aim to accelerate the transition towards clean and sustainable energy sources. Here are some key initiatives:

1. SunShot

In February 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Sun Shot Initiative. Its goal is to slash the total cost of photovoltaic solar energy systems by 75% before 2020. The aim is to make solar energy competitive with other forms of electricity and achieve grid parity.

As part of this initiative, the DOE partnered with Topcoder for a crowdsourced innovation program. In just 60 days, they developed 17 different solar energy application solutions. Initially priced at $4/W in 2011, the SunShot goal of $1/W by 2020 was reached ahead of schedule in 2017.

2. Wind Powering America

Wind Powering America is an initiative by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) aimed at promoting the development and use of wind energy across the nation. Started in 1999, the program focuses on advancing wind power technology, reducing costs and expanding wind energy capacity.

It collaborates with industry stakeholders, state governments, and communities to overcome barriers to wind energy deployment and increase its competitiveness in the energy market. Through outreach, education, and technical assistance, Wind Powering America aims to accelerate the adoption of wind energy as a clean and sustainable source of power for the country.

3. Solar America Initiative

The Solar America Initiative (SAI) is part of a Federal Advanced Energy Initiative to speed up the development of better solar energy materials. The goal is to make solar power cheaper so it can compete with other renewable energy sources by 2015.

The DOE Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) works on achieving the SAI goals through partnerships and alliances. It focuses on four main areas:

• Market Transformation: This includes activities that help overcome obstacles in the marketplace.
• Device and Process Proof of Concept: These are research and development (R&D) activities that test new devices or processes that could be much better or cheaper.
• Component Prototype and Pilot-Scale Production: These activities focus on creating prototypes of solar power parts or systems on a small scale to show they work well and are cost-effective.
• System Development and Manufacturing: This involves collaborations between industry and universities to develop solar power systems and make them in large quantities.

4. California Solar Initiative

Under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Million Solar Roofs Program, California aimed to generate 3,000 megawatts of new solar electricity by 2017, with a budget of $2.8 billion.

The California Solar Initiative provides cash rewards for solar PV systems, offering up to $2.50 per watt. With federal tax benefits, these incentives can cover half of the total system cost. Similar financial support for renewable energy is also available in other states across the US.

5. Green Power Partnership

The EPA recognized the top 20 partners in its Green Power Partnership for generating renewable energy on-site. They produce over 736 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually, sufficient to power more than 61,000 average U.S. homes.

6. Renewable portfolio standards

A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a law that establishes a market for tradeable renewable or green electricity certificates. It mandates electricity distributors or wholesalers to obtain a certain portion of their electricity from renewable sources. Entities that don’t meet their quota can buy certificates from accredited suppliers who have generated renewable electricity and registered certificates for sale on the market.

Renewable Electricity Sources in USA

Some common renewable electricity sources include:

1. Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectric power is the largest source of renewable energy in the United States until 2019, when wind power surpassed it. In 2022, it produced 254.79 terawatt-hours (TWh), which is about 5.94% of all electricity in the country. Hydroelectric power provides around 26.48% of the total renewable energy in the U.S. The United States ranks fourth globally in hydroelectricity production following China, Canada, and Brazil.

The Grand Coulee Dam is the seventh largest hydroelectric power station worldwide and six other U.S. hydroelectric plants are among the 50 largest in the world. Large-scale hydroelectric projects like Hoover Dam, Grand Coulee Dam, and the Tennessee Valley Authority are renowned for their massive construction efforts.

2. Wind Power

Wind power has grown significantly in the United States tripling in capacity from 2008 to 2016. By 2019, it became the biggest source of renewable electricity even beating hydroelectric power. In 2022, wind power made up more than 10% of all the electricity in the country. The United States has a lot of wind power capacity, more than 141 gigawatts as of 2023.

Wind farms, like the Alta Wind Energy Center, are very big and produce a lot of electricity. Wind power creates many jobs and helps the economy. The government also gives a lot of money to support wind power. The United States could install even more wind power in the future, both on land and offshore.

3. Solar Power

The United States is one of the world’s largest producers in solar power. They have been leaders in creating solar farms and making advances in solar technology. In 2022 solar power from big solar plants added 145.6 TWh to the electricity grid.

Most of this came from photovoltaics, which are like solar panels. From 2020 to 2022, smaller solar systems on buildings and homes also made a significant amount of electricity. Before 2008, most solar power came from thermal systems, but now photovoltaics are more common.

4. Geothermal Power

The United States is leading the world in using geothermal energy to make electricity. In 2022 geothermal power made around 16 terawatt-hours of electricity, which is about 0.37% of all electricity used in the country. Geothermal power is generated in five states: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. In May 2007, there were 75 new geothermal power projects happening in 12 states.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 which gave incentives for building new geothermal plants and funded more research into geothermal energy.

5. Biomass

In 2022 biomass produced 51.847 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, which is about 1.21% of all electricity made in the US. Biomass was the top renewable primary energy source in the country and the fourth largest for making electricity, following wind, hydropower, and solar. Biomass electricity comes from two main sources: wood and wood-derived fuels like wood chips and waste liquids, and other biomass fuels like municipal solid waste, landfill gas, and agricultural byproducts.

6. Wave Power

Wave power in the United States is beingunder development in various areas off the east and west coasts, as well as in Hawaii. It is progressed from research to generating dependable energy. While it is mainly used in scenarios where other energy methods aren’t cost-effective its current power output is moderate. However, significant installations are scheduled to become operational in the next few years.

7. Biofuels

Since 2001 many cars in the U.S. can use fuels with up to 15% ethanol. Older cars can handle up to 10% ethanol. Some cars, like those made by Ford and GM, can run on blends ranging from pure gasoline to 85% ethanol (E85). By mid-2006, about 6 million E85-compatible vehicles were on the road.

Most U.S. gasoline sold in 2016 contains 10% ethanol. Moving to higher ethanol blends has challenges, but flexible-fuel vehicles let drivers choose fuels based on price and availability. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 aims for 15.2 billion gallons of biofuels by 2012 to expand the market.

The USDA started giving grants in 2015 to help gas stations install pumps for mid-level ethanol blends. The ethanol and biodiesel industries are creating jobs in construction, operations, and maintenance, especially in rural areas. In 2005, the ethanol industry created about 154,000 jobs and boosted household income by $5.7 billion, contributing $3.5 billion in tax revenues. However, in 2010, the biofuel industry received $6.64 billion in federal government support.

Conclusion

Renewable energy initiatives in the USA are efforts to use cleaner sources of energy like wind and solar power instead of polluting ones like coal and oil. These initiatives help make energy cleaner, create jobs, and make the environment healthier. By supporting these initiatives, the USA aims to have a better and more sustainable future for everyone.

Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA – FAQs

What are renewable energy initiatives in the USA?

Renewable energy initiatives in the USA consists a range of programs and policies aimed at promoting the development and adoption of clean energy sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass.

What are the goals of the US energy transition?

Building on this success, the United States aims to have all its electricity come from clean sources by 2035. This is important for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. This goal applies to many parts of the economy, including transportation, buildings, and industries.

How does renewable energy affect the US economy?

Moving to renewable energy sources requires much less investment in the power sector compared to building new coal or nuclear power plants. This results in lower electricity prices, which affects everything in the economy. With lower electricity prices, the cost of production decreases and profits increase.

Which renewable energy is the future?

According to the IEA report solar energy is expected to contribute to 60% of the projected growth in renewables, mainly because of its widespread availability.

What is the most successful renewable energy?

They stated that the top five most efficient green energy sources are:

• Wind Energy
• Geothermal Energy
• Hydroelectric Energy
• Nuclear Energy
• Solar Energy