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The Renewable Energy Atlas of the West is designed as a resource for policy makers, advocates,
landowners, developers and others interested in furthering the production of electricity from
renewable wind, solar, geothermal and biomass energy resources.
Utilizing state-of-the-art GIS technology.
The
Atlas brings together the best existing renewable
resource maps and data into a single comprehensive,
publicly available document and interactive
Web site. It does not provide a new regional
assessment of renewable resources, but rather
shows the current understanding of these
resources throughout the West and highlights the
issues affecting their development. In addition, it
identifies areas where new data are needed in
order to more accurately represent the region’s
renewable energy resources.
While the maps contained in this Atlas do not
eliminate the need for on-site resource measurement,
they can help developers gain a better
understanding of where the best renewable
resource areas are found and screen out the less
promising areas. This can significantly minimize
the cost and time involved in prospecting. Landowners
can use the information for a first-cut
feasibility analysis of using renewable resources
to supply electrical power to their homes, farms,
ranches and businesses, while policymakers will
find it a useful tool for broader planning purposes.
Summary
The Atlas begins with an overview of regional
maps of the wind, solar, biomass and geothermal
resources. The second section describes the
current status of renewable energy development,
including a summary of the region’s current
electricity supply mix and a map of the locations
and installed capacity of existing renewable
energy facilities. A regional map shows state-level
policies, including tax incentives, system benefits
charges and portfolio standards, which have been
implemented in several states to stimulate the
development of renewable energy. The final
section in the overview addresses important issues
to consider in developing new renewable energy
projects, including transmission capacity, load
growth, land use and environmental impacts.
The Atlas continues with individual sections
for each of the eleven Western states: Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
Wyoming. Each state section features success
stories of renewable energy development, statelevel
maps of wind, solar, biomass and geothermal
resources and summaries of existing policies, installed
renewable energy facilities and the current
electricity supply mix. The final sections of the
Atlas include a glossary, a technical notes section,
and a list of resources for further information.
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