Denton, Texas, has big plans and they’re getting even bigger. The city announced recently that it will soon switch to 100% renewable energy sources. Denton’s original plans called for only 70% renewable sources by 2020, but revised plans now include installing enough wind and solar sources to completely power its needs by then. In the process, it will also become the largest city in the U.S. to run on green energy.
According to the Sierra Club, “A community is powered with 100% renewable energy when the amount of energy generated from renewable energy sources in the community (or brought into it) equals or exceeds 100% of the annual energy consumed within the community.”
Clean and renewable energy sources include wind, solar, tidal and geothermal. Low-impact, small hydro and some forms of biomass may also make the list after evaluation for sustainability and other implications. Benefits of renewable energy include its eco-friendliness, reliability (assuming a solid infrastructure) and better public health, to name a few.
While it’s exciting to see towns, cities and even states turning to renewable energy and electricity sources, wouldn’t it be like a big breath of really fresh air if an entire country used only renewable energy sources? Turns out, several countries are already at or near full reliance on renewable energy, including Albania, Costa Rica, Iceland, Lesotho and Paraguay.
According to a 2016 VOA News report, such a feat might even be within sights for the U.S. by 2031.
And if we’re thinking global, a report by Stanford University researchers shows that converting the entire world to clean and sustainable energy is definitely do-able. “Based on our findings, there are no technological or economic barriers to converting the entire world to clean, renewable energy sources,” said Mark Z. Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-author of the study. “It is a question of whether we have the societal and political will.”
March 24 is Earth Hour! More than just about switching off the lights, Earth Hour is a commitment to unite and protect Earth, our only home. How will you celebrate Earth Hour?
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I would LOVE to see this change!!
It would be wonderful if all cities that are able switched to renewable energy. The complaint I hear in my area is that the wind energy relies too much on batteries to store the power. Are there any studies about the batteries used? How long to they last? Can they be recycled? Thanks, Kim
Hawaii has made a wonderful step and hopefully the rest of the world will be able to follow. What an excellent turn around for the earth and its inhabitants if this was to occur!