Energy Production in the United States – Renewable Energy Sources

These maps show where the primary renewable energy resources reside in the United States. Take a close look at California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. The student activity will discuss these specific states.

Biomass

Wind

Solar

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Click to enlarge

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The West Coast of the USA has a significant amount of biomass resources. The term biomass can include many things. The data in this map accounts for: crop and forest residues, primary and secondary mill residues, and urban wood waste. It also includes methane emissions coming from manure, landfills, and wastewater treatment.

U.S. wind capacity is growing, more than doubling in only three years. The world’s largest wind farm operates in Texas. The state of Texas contributes the most US wind energy followed by Iowa, California, and Washington. Many other states have projects underway or under consideration.

California and the Southwest are the main solar energy contributors. California has the largest concentrating solar power plant. In fact, the SEGS plants in California comprise the world’s largest plant of its kind. Arizona and Nevada also have this type of plant. Florida has the largest photovoltaic solar power plant; Nevada has the second largest. Even the cloudiest places (other than Alaska) have almost half the solar resources as the sunniest.

DID YOU KNOW? The state of Washington produces the majority of its electricity from renewable resources. Check out the maps and you’ll see why. It’s a great resource for biomass and wind energy, and it’s an above average resource for solar energy.