Explore The Network
Nature
- Planetsave
- Blue Living Ideas
Civilization
Daily Life
Society
Creativity
- Crafting A Green World
- FeelGood Style

Which States Use the Most Renewable Energy… And How They Made it Happen

August 17, 2009 By Susan Kraemer 11 Comments

Which of our islands gets 57% of its power from renewable sources?

The Island of Alameda: near downtown Oakland in Northern California. Because it is a public utility; Alameda Municipal Power doesn’t have to make a profit. AMP customers of have long gotten the majority of their now very cheap energy from geothermal power contracts that were signed long ago with The Geysers. Now 41% of their energy comes from geothermal, 9% from landfill gas, and 6% from wind.

Alameda businesses and residents pay 22% lower rates than surrounding customers, as the utility’s costs are already sunk (those geothermal power stations were paid for years ago) and like all renewable power sources; the fuel is free forever.

The trail blazed by Alameda shows us that once the initial investment in renewable energy is paid, future generations benefit from the low cost of free fuel.

Image: Flikr user Ilja

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Filed Under: Clean Energy, Climate Change, Energy Policy & Politics Tagged With: 57 percent renewable, Alameda Municipal Power, Alameda Municipal Power 57% renewable, Alameda Power & Telecom, biomass, California 13 percent renewable, climate bill, electranet, feed-in tariff, George Bush RPS Texas, geothermal, H.R. 2454, Iowa 15% wind, Maine 30 percent renewable, Renewable Portfolio Standard, solar, Spain Germany FIT, states renewable energy policy, Texas 8000 MW wind

About Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer writes at CleanTechnica, Earthtechling, and GreenProphet and has been published at Ecoseed, NRDC OnEarth, MatterNetwork, Celsius, EnergyNow and Scientific American.

As a former serial entrepreneur in product design she brings an innovator's perspective on inventing a carbon-constrained civilization: If necessity is the mother of invention: solving climate change is the mother of all necessities! As a lover of history and sci fi, she enjoys chronicling the strange future we are creating in these interesting times.

Follow Susan @dotcommodity on twitter.

http://Web Christian Strong

With fossil fuels becoming more and more scarce, both solar and wind energy should concurrently become more and more prevalent not only within this country, but worldwide. As a native Iowan, I am very proud to discover that my home state is leading the way when it comes to this form of alternative energy.
Pingback: The Good News About the Proposed Renewable Energy Standard – CleanTechnica
Pingback: Siemens to Test Six Minute Charging For EVs on 33% Wind Powered Grid : Gas 2.0
Pingback: 3 Reasons for Hope for Hopenhagen : CleanTechnica
Pingback: US Navy to Cut Greenhouse Emissions 50% By As Early As 2015 (!)
Pingback: Biggest Wind Farm in World — in Texas : CleanTechnica
JoJo

These Iowa turbines are really cool. I drive by them about 6 times a year and its pretty awe inspiring. They are right next to the interstate between Omaha and Des Moines and are freaking HUGE! They are out there away from the cities and don’t bother anyone but they look surreal at dusk.
JoJo

These Iowa turbines are really cool. I drive by them about 6 times a year and its pretty awe inspiring. They are right next to the interstate between Omaha and Des Moines and are freaking HUGE! They are out there away from the cities and don’t bother anyone but they look surreal at dusk.
Pingback: US Farm Recycles Wind Turbines From Denmark and Germany : CleanTechnica
Pingback: 76% of Cap and Trade Bill Allowances Benefit People, Not Polluters : CleanTechnica
Pingback: For Base-Load Wind Cheaper than Fossil Fuels: CAES : CleanTechnica