635 GW (of renewable electricity) Possible with U.S. Political Shift

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48344

How much power can renewable energy generate in the U.S. if the appropriate mix of policies and market-based incentives are implemented? According to a joint report coordinated by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), the answer is 635 gigawatts (GW) by 2025.

Released yesterday, the 2007 Outlook on Renewable Energy in America projects that wind power could account for 248 GW; solar energy 164 GW; hydro, ocean and tidal energy 23 GW; geothermal energy 100 GW; and biomass and biofuels 100 GW.

But unless steps are taken to change the perceptions of U.S. politicians and policymakers, the report concludes that coordinated, sustained policies that expand renewable energy markets, promote and deploy new technology, and encourage renewable energy use in critical market sectors can't happen.

"We still have elected officials at the federal and state level who honestly believe that renewable energy cannot power the country...I think they're incorrect," said Michael T. Eckhart, ACORE president. "We believe that renewable energy can power this country, and the world, and provide the energy necessary to support economic growth."

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