Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and solar business executives have teamed with Environment America to present a plan for solar energy to meet 10% of the U.S.' energy needs by 2030.
The report, called ‘Building a Solar Future: Repowering America's Homes, Businesses and Industry with Solar Energy,’ examines a wide variety of solar technologies and tools, including photovoltaics, concentrating solar power, solar water heaters, solar space heating and passive solar design.
According to the report, obtaining 10% of the U.S.' power from solar energy within two decades is equivalent to the energy that the U.S. currently produces at nuclear power plants, more than half the energy currently consumed in American cars and light trucks, or nearly half as much energy as the country currently obtains from burning coal.
Environment America called on local, state and federal governments to commit to expanding solar energy. The group's recommendations include investing in solar technologies, research and development; requiring that utilities obtain more of their electricity from renewable resources; requiring that building codes move toward all new buildings using zero net-energy; and educating the public and training an effective workforce.
The plan's supporters include Jamie Resor, chief financial officer at installation firm groSolar, and Anthony Clifford, CEO of Gaithersburg, Md.-based Standard Solar.
SOURCE: Environment America
