Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA

Renewable energy initiatives in the USA aim to accelerate the transition towards clean and sustainable energy sources. Here are some key initiatives:

1. SunShot

In February 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Sun Shot Initiative. Its goal is to slash the total cost of photovoltaic solar energy systems by 75% before 2020. The aim is to make solar energy competitive with other forms of electricity and achieve grid parity.

As part of this initiative, the DOE partnered with Topcoder for a crowdsourced innovation program. In just 60 days, they developed 17 different solar energy application solutions. Initially priced at $4/W in 2011, the SunShot goal of $1/W by 2020 was reached ahead of schedule in 2017.

2. Wind Powering America

Wind Powering America is an initiative by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) aimed at promoting the development and use of wind energy across the nation. Started in 1999, the program focuses on advancing wind power technology, reducing costs and expanding wind energy capacity.

It collaborates with industry stakeholders, state governments, and communities to overcome barriers to wind energy deployment and increase its competitiveness in the energy market. Through outreach, education, and technical assistance, Wind Powering America aims to accelerate the adoption of wind energy as a clean and sustainable source of power for the country.

3. Solar America Initiative

The Solar America Initiative (SAI) is part of a Federal Advanced Energy Initiative to speed up the development of better solar energy materials. The goal is to make solar power cheaper so it can compete with other renewable energy sources by 2015.

The DOE Solar Energy Technology Program (SETP) works on achieving the SAI goals through partnerships and alliances. It focuses on four main areas:

• Market Transformation: This includes activities that help overcome obstacles in the marketplace.
• Device and Process Proof of Concept: These are research and development (R&D) activities that test new devices or processes that could be much better or cheaper.
• Component Prototype and Pilot-Scale Production: These activities focus on creating prototypes of solar power parts or systems on a small scale to show they work well and are cost-effective.
• System Development and Manufacturing: This involves collaborations between industry and universities to develop solar power systems and make them in large quantities.

4. California Solar Initiative

Under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Million Solar Roofs Program, California aimed to generate 3,000 megawatts of new solar electricity by 2017, with a budget of $2.8 billion.

The California Solar Initiative provides cash rewards for solar PV systems, offering up to $2.50 per watt. With federal tax benefits, these incentives can cover half of the total system cost. Similar financial support for renewable energy is also available in other states across the US.

5. Green Power Partnership

The EPA recognized the top 20 partners in its Green Power Partnership for generating renewable energy on-site. They produce over 736 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually, sufficient to power more than 61,000 average U.S. homes.

6. Renewable portfolio standards

A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a law that establishes a market for tradeable renewable or green electricity certificates. It mandates electricity distributors or wholesalers to obtain a certain portion of their electricity from renewable sources. Entities that don’t meet their quota can buy certificates from accredited suppliers who have generated renewable electricity and registered certificates for sale on the market.

Renewable Energy Initiatives in the USA: Renewable energy initiatives in the USA aim to increase the use of clean energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal power. These initiatives promote the development of renewable energy technologies and infrastructure.

The government gives benefits like tax breaks and money, to help businesses and people invest in renewable energy. Energy companies are also starting to use more renewable energy to make less pollution and meet goals for renewable energy. People are also trying to use energy more efficiently and use more electric cars to use less oil and gas.