The current capacity of every power plant in the United States is enormous. The average American believes there is no chance that alternative energy sources could power the United States without help from traditional “dirty” sources. Interestingly, this is totally wrong.

A recent study by the US Department of Energy revealed that there is enough wind energy potential off our coasts to power the entire United States. In a recent documentary entitled “Too Hot Not To Handle,” which aired on HBO, a scientist being interviewed commented that a single 1×1 mile power plant in a desert in the West could supply enough power to power the entire United States.

If this much clean, renewable energy is available, why have we done so little to capture it? We all know that renewable energy offers some incredible benefits; and in particular, it could really help out the American economy avoid the instability caused by relying so heavily on oil. Although there are high fixed costs to building a large quantity of wind turbines or solar power panels, can anyone argue that the benefits, both monetary and otherwise, from alternative energy would not pay for the costs within years?

Let me know what you think.

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