This year the Golden State will be hosting the Golden Anniversary of what many consider the greatest spectacle in all of professional sports and this year the game will be powered in part by golden rays of sunshine.
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is counting down to the kick off between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers, not just because we love the game, the multi-million dollar advertisements and the A-list halftime entertainment, but also because solar energy—our MVP—will be playing a starring role.
This year's big game will be played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Home to the San Francisco 49ers, Levi's Stadium is the first professional football stadium in the National Football League (NFL) to open with LEED Gold certification. The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification program recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. LEED certified buildings save money and resources and have positives impact on the health of occupants, while promoting renewable, clean energy.
Solar was a key strategy in the 49ers' sustainability playbook. The solar at the stadium through NRG's installations produces 375 kilowatts (kW) of peak power from more than 1,150 solar panels. In fact, the system can generate enough power in a year to meet electricity demand during every 49ers' home game. The first area of the NRG solar installation is the three NRG Bridges that lead fans into Levi's from the Red Parking Lot. The second is the NRG Solar Terrace which overlooks the football field and Silicon Valley from the top of the stadium.
“NRG was a true partner with us in building this stadium," Ethan Casson, 49ers chief revenue officer, said. “We could not have achieved LEED Gold certification without them."
San Jose-based SunPower built all of the solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for Levi's—544 on the stadium roof and another 642 on the NRG Energy Bridges, footbridges for fans that connect a main parking area to the stadium. In addition to producing power, the solar panels act as a shade canopy for the bridges and terrace.
“This year's big game is making environmental history as fans root for their favorite team, playing in the NFL's first LEED Gold certified stadium featuring SunPower high efficiency solar panels," Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO, said. “At SunPower, we're proud to support our progressive commercial business partners that are making wise economic and environmental investments with solar."
In 2015, nearly a third of the NFL teams played or trained at stadiums with on-site solar assets. That's 8,000 solar PV panels, generating more than 10 million kilowatt-hours per year.
And there is more to come, with a new system under contract with the Baltimore Ravens and one in planning for the Atlanta Falcons. That's not to mention the nearly 1 million solar systems that are installed on homes and businesses across the country.
"It's a movement across the country—become more sustainable," Al Guido, 49ers chief operating officer, said. “And stadiums have to do their part. But we wanted to be functionally green, not just green for green's sake."
Hosting the game in the state-of-the-art Levi's Stadium is a major play for solar energy and part of a strong sustainability statement.
As NFL teams look for ways to keep their hometown fans cheering, investing in money-saving, 21st century technology like solar is a touchdown in everyone's playbook.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This School District Could Save Millions by Switching to 100% Solar
Watch Colbert Explain Why the Broncos Should Draft Hillary Clinton for the Super Bowl
This Kid Warrior Is Assembling a Teen Army to the Save the Planet
The report revealed that the amount of solar installed by America’s top companies has nearly tripled since the first edition was released.
Walmart is once again America’s commercial solar leader for the third year in a row with nearly 142 megawatts (MW) installed at 348 installations across its locations.
1. #ActOnClimate
The release of SEIA’s new rankings of the top corporate solar users in America coincides with commitments made by Walmart and 80 other U.S. companies to the American Business Act on Climate Pledge.
By signing the pledge, these companies provided new and ongoing plans for reducing, avoiding and mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) levels in their operations. The pledge was also a showing of strong support to leaders from around the world who are meeting in Paris this week to solidify broader commitments from countries that are working to address climate change.
These companies are influential and successful brands that have operations in all 50 states, employ more than nine million people, represent more than $3 trillion in annual revenue and have a combined market capitalization of more than $5 trillion.
Deploying more clean energy is a significant way these companies are reducing their emissions and building more sustainable businesses.
In 2014, 26 percent of Walmart’s electricity was generated from renewable sources. In fact, Walmart pledged to double the number of on-site solar energy projects at its U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers by 2020, compared with its 2013 baseline.
2. #SolarMeansBiz
Choosing to go solar is a surefire way for companies to take action on climate, but it’s also a smart business decision.
For commercial users, average electricity rates have increased more than 20 percent in 10 years, moving from eight cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to more than 10 cents per kWh.
This report shows that companies are taking advantage of this cost savings by increasingly adopting solar or adding to their existing systems to power their operations.
While the report does not provide a complete dataset of corporate solar systems in the U.S., the companies sampled installed 1,686 systems totaling 907 MW, generating enough electricity to power more than 158,000 homes.
This represents a 59 percent increase over the findings of last year's report.
Commercial solar prices are the lowest they have ever been and are continuing to fall, making solar a cost-effective decision that pays in both dividends for the environment and the bottom line.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Art Installation Lights Up Eiffel Tower on Eve of Paris Climate Talks
Brad Pitt’s Nonprofit Delivers LEED Platinum Homes to Fort Peck Reservation
100% Renewable-Powered World ‘Technically Feasible and Economically Viable’ by 2030
Morocco’s Giant Solar Plant to Bring Energy to 1 Million People
Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Clean Power Plan, which sets the first ever federal limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. This is a historic step in America’s clean energy future and a strong show of confidence in the capability of the country’s newest energy vehicles: renewables.
This strong action on climate change, however, is not a “leap of faith” for the solar industry. Solar energy is no longer a niche technology or a futuristic energy source. Thanks to improved technology and cascading prices, solar is already powering American homes and businesses today.
Communities, homeowners, businesses and utilities have made solar one of America’s fastest-growing energy sources with more than 20 gigawatts of total installed capacity. Smart policies like the Clean Power Plan will help the country to continue replacing its aging and dirty energy engine with even more 21st Century technologies.
To ensure solar’s full potential was realized in the policy, SEIA spent the past several years meeting with the White House and EPA officials to educate them about the current state of the solar market and the solar industry’s growth potential. Additionally, SEIA submitted robust comments, providing the EPA with the most up-to-date solar cost and deployment data for all market segments.
In just the first three months of 2015, residential solar system installations showed tremendous growth—the best quarter for the segment ever. The top U.S. commercial solar users also have more than 569 megawatts of solar power at 1,110 different facilities.
As solar prices continue to fall, more and more Americans are turning to solar to cut costs and avoid carbon emissions. Solar in the utility-scale pipeline has also reached unprecedented levels, with the segment totaling 63 percent of all solar capacity in 2014.
As part of a balanced energy portfolio, energy providers are using solar to improve grid reliability and provide significant relief to existing energy infrastructure by reducing transmission losses and relieving grid congestion. The speed of solar deployment, along with the modularity of solar, is also helping energy providers meet incremental generation needs. For instance, concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, combined with thermal energy storage, can produce electricity when needed, long after the sun goes down.
By the end of 2016, there will be enough solar energy in the U.S. to power 8 million homes, offsetting nearly 45 million metric tons of carbon emissions. At this pace, a whopping 50,000 more megawatts of solar power is projected to come on-line before 2020.
The Clean Power Plan will only make solar’s growth more rapid, as all 50 states seek clean, affordable, reliable and carbon-free solutions under the plan’s emissions targets.
The solar industry is confident that there is potential for more of America’s power grid to fuel up with more solar. SEIA spoke, and the EPA clearly listened. Thanks to efforts of SEIA and its member companies, the Clean Power Plan includes:
- carbon reduction goals for states that are 9 percent tougher than originally proposed;
- all solar technologies as compliance options for states;
- 30 percent more renewables as compliance options than originally proposed;
- a renewable energy incentive program that will spur early investment in solar energy; and
- more flexibility to help states implement solar energy policies to meet their emissions goals.
Solar energy is available within every geographic region of the U.S., making it the most sensible compliance option under the Clean Power Plan. In fact, the industry is already seeing a broad spectrum of adopters across the country, with 25 states installing more than 10 megawatts and 20 states installing more than 100 megawatts of solar capacity just last year.
States that choose to go solar are not only standing up to the challenge of curbing carbon emissions while keeping pace with America’s growing energy demand, but they are also choosing to invest in job growth.
The solar industry has added 100,000 new jobs in the last decade. Today, the U.S. solar industry employs nearly 174,000 Americans—more than tech giants Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter combined—and pumps nearly $18 billion a year into the economy.
The Clean Power Plan presents a tremendous opportunity for renewable energy development, and solar is poised to be the No. 1 solution as America cleans up its power grid.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Solar Now Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels for Many Small Businesses
Today, GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released the latest edition of the U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, which revealed the first three months of 2015 as the best quarter for residential solar system installations—ever.
In fact, solar represented a whopping 51 percent of all new electric generating capacity brought on-line in the first quarter (Q1) of 2015, outpacing even natural gas.
The U.S. installed 1,306 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) in Q1 2015, marking the sixth consecutive quarter in which the U.S. added more than one gigawatt (GW) of PV installations.
Residential solar led the way, growing by 76 percent over the first quarter of 2014, with 437 megawatts (MW) of residential PV installations. That’s an 11 percent jump over last quarter, the market segment’s previous high-water mark.
But the other solar market segments showed strength, too. In fact, the industry as a whole is on track for another record year in 2015, with 66,440 total individual solar systems coming on-line this quarter. That means nearly 700,000 systems are now generating solar power in the U.S.
The non-residential segment installed 225 MW in the first quarter of the year, with five of the six largest non-residential state markets growing over Q1 2014.
Continuing to carry the largest share of the market, the utility segment installed 644 MW which represents 49 percent of new PV capacity brought on-line in Q1 2015. Despite this being the smallest quarter for the segment since 2013, utility PV installations have now surpassed 500 MW for eight consecutive quarters. What’s more, the report notes that there are now 25 project developers with projects in development of 100 MW or more.
Here are some other key findings from the report:
- The U.S. installed 1,306 MW of solar PV in Q1 2015, marking the sixth consecutive quarter in which the U.S. added more than 1 GW of PV installations.
- The residential and utility PV market segments each added more capacity than the natural gas industry brought on-line in Q1 2015.
- Collectively, more than 51 percent of all new electric generating capacity in the U.S. came from solar in Q1 2015.
- 66,440 individual solar systems came online in Q1 2015, bringing the total to nearly 700,000 nationwide.
- The average cost for a residential solar system is now $3.48/watt, 10 percent lower than this time last year.
- More than one-third of all community solar installations have come on-line since 2014.
- More than 5 GW of centralized PV has now been procured by utilities based on solar’s economic competitiveness with fossil-fuel alternatives.
- Through Q1 2015, nearly one-fourth of cumulative residential solar installations have now come on-line without any state incentive.
- PV installations are forecast to reach 7.9 GW in 2015, up 27 percent over 2014. Growth will occur in all segments, but will be most rapid in the residential market.
- 2014 was the largest year ever for concentrating solar power, with 767 MW brought on-line. The next notable CSP project slated for completion is SolarReserve’s 110 MW Crescent Dunes, which entered the commissioning phase in 2014 and is expected to become fully operational before the end of 2015.
Today’s report proves just how effective establishing and maintaining forward-looking public policies, like the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), are to the industry.
The ITC has helped solar to become the fastest-growing renewable energy source in America. Why? Simply put, the ITC provides important market certainty, encouraging companies to make long-term investments that drive competition and technological innovation, while lowering costs to consumers.
But the best is yet to come. By the end of 2016, the U.S. will be generating enough clean solar energy to power 8 million homes, helping to offset 45 million metric tons of damaging carbon emissions—the equivalent of removing 10 million cars off our roads and highways.
No matter how you look at it, that’s a win all the way around!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Watch Live Cam of 14,000 Walruses Chillin’ on Alaskan Beach
Take a Tour of the World’s Most Sustainable Office Building
World Leaders Urged to Kick Coal Habit to Save Lives, Money and the Planet
In a decision that’s certain to help to speed up America’s transition to a clean energy future, President Obama announced today that the Department of Energy (DOE) will launch a new initiative to train 75,000 Americans—including military veterans—to enter the solar workforce by 2020. The President made the announcement at Hill Air Force Base in Utah as part of a roundtable discussion on clean energy technology and workforce training with Sen. Orin Hatch, Congressman Rob Bishop and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.
This new initiative will provide a big boost to the U.S. economy, while also helping to maintain solar energy’s explosive jobs growth. I’ll make this promise: With stable public policies in place, we will not only meet the President’s goal of adding 75,000 new solar jobs in America by 2020, but we will blow past it!
Today, the solar industry already employs 174,000 workers nationwide—more than tech giants Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter combined—and pumps nearly $18 billion a year into our economy. This remarkable growth is due, in large part, to smart and effective public policies, such as the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). By any measurement, these policies are paying huge dividends for both our economy and environment.
According to The Solar Foundation’s 2014 National Jobs Census, the solar industry in America is becoming increasingly diverse, with minorities, women and veterans representing a growing percentage of the workforce. Over the past five years alone, the industry has added more than 80,000 new employees—an increase of 86 percent.
Also, as part of today’s announcement, the White House will work to make G.I. Bill funding available to support solar workforce training. Dating back to 1944, the G.I. Bill has been widely hailed by historians as one of America’s most successful economic and political programs.
With approximately 200,000 U.S. servicemen and women leaving the military each year, much more needs to be done to help them find civilian jobs and meaningful workforce training. As an industry, we are uniquely positioned to help. Record-breaking growth in solar energy installations nationwide requires a growing and skilled solar workforce. We applaud the President and his administration for undertaking this new initiative, and we’re prepared, and excited, to do our part to help. We look forward to more and more of our military veterans becoming solar veterans, too!
The White House’s new workforce training initiative closely tracks U.S. public opinion. A new Gallup Poll shows that 91 percent of Americans want to see more emphasis, or the same emphasis as today, on producing solar energy. Compared to oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear and other renewables, solar was the only energy source to show an increase in public favorability when compared to results of a similar nationwide poll taken by Gallup in 2013.
Today, there are 20 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity in the U.S.—enough to power more than 4 million homes—with another 20 GW projected to come online by the end of 2016. What’s spurring this rapid growth? For one thing, solar energy is now more affordable than ever. According to SEIA/GTM Research, national blended average system prices have dropped 53 percent since 2010.
The solar industry is also helping to fight climate change. Last year, solar helped to offset 22.3 million metric tons of harmful carbon emissions, the equivalent of removing 4.7 million cars off America’s highways and roads, or not using 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline.
Every 2.5 minutes of every single day, the U.S. solar industry is helping to fight climate change by flipping the switch on another completed solar project. We’re proud that solar accounted for one-third of all new electric generation capacity last year in the U.S. And, frankly, we’re just scratching the surface of our industry’s enormous potential. As the old saying goes, the sky’s the limit.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Find Out Which City Just Committed to Going 100% Renewable
4 States Where Solar is Under Attack by Koch-Funded Front Groups
Top 10 Cities Embracing Solar Energy—Did Your City Make the List?
Remarkably, America’s solar energy industry, which continues to grow at a very brisk pace, now has more employees than tech giants Apple, Google, Facebook and Twitter combined. And to top it all off, 2014 turned out to be another record-shattering year!
GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) have just released the U.S. Solar Market Insight 2014 Year in Review report, the definitive source of installation data, forecasting and policy analysis for the U.S. solar market. Newly installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity for the year reached a record 6,201 megawatts (MW), growing 30 percent over 2013’s total. An additional 767 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) came on-line in the same period.
Solar accounted for one-third of our nation’s new generating capacity in 2014, beating out both wind energy and coal for the second year in a row. Only natural gas constituted a greater share of new generating capacity.
Without question, the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has helped to fuel our industry’s tremendous growth. Since the ITC was passed in 2006, more than 150,000 solar jobs have been created in America, and $66 billion has been invested in solar installations nationwide. We now have 20 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity—enough to power 4 million U.S. homes—and we’re helping to reduce harmful carbon emissions by 20 million metric tons a year. By any measurement, the ITC has been a huge success for both our economy and environment.
In 2014, for the first time in history, each of the three major U.S. market segments—utility, commercial and residential—installed more than 1 gigawatt (GW) of PV.
The U.S. utility-scale segment broke the GW mark in 2011 and has since grown by nearly 1 GW annually. In 2014, 3.9 GW of utility-scale PV projects came on-line with another 14 GW of projects under contract.
The commercial segment in the U.S. also installed more than 1 GW in 2011 but has not shared the same success as the utility-scale segment. In 2014, the commercial segment installed just over 1 GW, down 6 percent from 2013. The report notes, “Many factors have contributed to this trend, ranging from tight economics to difficulty financing small commercial installations.” But GTM Research expects 2015 to be a bounce-back year for the commercial segment, highlighted by a resurgence in California.
The U.S. residential segment’s 1.2 GW in 2014 marks its first time surpassing 1 GW. Residential continues to be the fastest-growing market segment in the U.S., with 2014 marking three consecutive years of greater than 50 percent annual growth.
Here are some additional key findings:
- More than one-third of all cumulative operating PV capacity in the U.S. came on line in 2014.
- By the end of 2014, 20 states eclipsed the 100 MW mark for cumulative operating solar PV installations, and California alone is home to 8.7 GW.
- Growth remains driven primarily by the utility solar PV market, which installed 1.5 GW in Q4 2014, the largest quarterly total ever for any market segment.
- PV installations are forecast to reach 8.1 GW in 2015, up 59 percent over 2014.
- 2014 was the largest year ever for concentrating solar power, with 767 MW brought on line. Notable project completions include the 392 MW Ivanpah project. Genesis Solar project’s second phase of 125 MW and Abengoa’s Mojave Solar (250 MW), which achieved commercial operation in December 2014.
- All solar projects completed in 2014 represent $17.8 billion in investment ($13.4 billion in PV and $4.4 billion in CSP).
- As of the end of 2014, cumulative operating PV in the U.S. totaled 18.3 GW and cumulative operating CSP totaled 1.7 GW.
What’s spurring this rapid growth? For one thing, solar energy is now more affordable than ever. According to SEIA/GTM Research, national blended average system prices have dropped 53 percent since 2010.
Simply put, when looking at America’s energy future, solar can be a real game changer, providing more and more homes, businesses, schools and government entities across the U.S. with clean, reliable and affordable electricity, while also helping states to meet proposed new obligations under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. That’s a win-win in anyone’s book!
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Oil Can’t Compete With Renewables, Says National Bank of Abu Dhabi
Google Invests $300 Million in SolarCity to Make Going Solar Easier
Solar-Powered Plane Takes Off for Historic Round-the-World Trip
On Monday, the National Hockey League (NHL) released a new sustainability report, saying, in part, “We believe it’s important to invest in clean, renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and hydro in North America. Supporting clean energy will help achieve long-term benefits for our business, such as price stability.”
The report went on to add: “In addition to pursuing reduction measures, five NHL arenas now supply a portion of their power needs for the facility by using on-site solar power or lower-emission energy sources, such as biogas-fueled fuel cell technology.”
One good example of this growing trend are the Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings, who play at the world-famous, multi-purpose Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Far away from the view of fans, the Staples Center has 1,727 solar panels on its rooftop. Today, this state-of-the-art, 364-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system provides up to 20 percent of the facility's energy needs on a non-game day and a portion of the power it needs when the puck is dropped for the opening faceoff.
Clearly, solar has become a fan favorite. From San Jose to Winnipeg and Tampa Bay to Montreal, communities that embrace professional hockey are embracing solar energy, too. We commend the NHL and Commissioner Gary Bettman for their ongoing commitment to renewable energy and a cleaner environment. They recognize, like so many others, that clean, affordable and reliable solar energy creates thousands of new jobs on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border, pumps billions of dollars into our respective countries’ economies and helps to significantly reduce pollution. We’re proud to share our "green team" colors with the NHL and look forward to being part of a winning "power play" that benefits both of our great nations as well as the environment.
But hockey isn’t alone in the solar spotlight. Earlier this month, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS)–home to the greatest racecar event in the world, the Indy 500–installed the largest solar-powered system of any sporting facility in the world. That’s right–the world! IMS boasts a 9.6 megawatt (MW) PV system, employing 39,312 solar modules, bringing new meaning to that famous Brickyard saying: “Start your engines." Clearly, solar is off and running at the Indy 500, lapping all other forms of renewable energy.
Major League Baseball and the National Football League have "drafted" solar systems, too. At Lincoln Financial Field, the Philadelphia Eagles have 2,500 solar panels installed; the San Francisco Giants have 590 solar panels at AT&T Park; the Boston Red Sox are currently heating nearly half of their hot water with solar thermal panels; and the St. Louis Cardinals are producing 32,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar energy per year at Busch Stadium.
Today, solar is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in America. But guess what? You can also make a persuasive case that we are actually #1 overall. According to a recently-released report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) natural gas and solar ran 1-2 in new capacity installed in the first half of 2014, with 1,555 MW of natural gas coming online and 1,131 MW of solar. But if you add in the 457 MW of distributed generation solar added (and in the first quarter of this year alone!)–something FERC fails to take into account–solar topped all other forms of energy with at least 1,588 MW of new installed capacity.
So quietly, without anyone really noticing, solar is now leading the energy Super Bowl at halftime. How will the rest of the year turn out? Let’s just say that I like our chances a lot, and I’m betting on the home team!
Well, in some ways, this discussion is putting the cart before the horse.
Most importantly, are incentives for renewable energy sources achieving their goals? In the case of solar, the answer is a resounding yes. Today, America’s solar energy industry is helping to create thousands of new jobs, save U.S. consumers money, boost our economy and reduce pollution nationwide. That’s the very definition of an effective public policy.
In 2006, prior to the enactment of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), there were less than 600 megawatts (MW) of grid-connected solar in the U.S. By the end of this year, we expect to be closing in on 13,000 MW—enough to effectively power more than 2 million American homes including the White House!
Thanks to smart public policies, like the solar ITC and 1603 Treasury program, solar has made extraordinary progress in a very short period of time—and yet we still only represent about 1 percent of the total electric generating capacity of the U.S. Is solar is more competitive today? Absolutely. But the playing field isn’t level yet. The oil and gas industry, for example, has enjoyed incentives embedded in the U.S. Tax Code for nearly 100 years. You can’t catch up to that overnight.
But clearly, solar is trending in the right direction. According to a new report by GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the U.S. installed 930 MW of solar in Q3 2013—up 20 percent over the second quarter of 2013 and 35 percent over quarter three 2012. This represents the second largest quarter in the history of the U.S. solar market and the largest quarter ever for residential PV installations.
Even more importantly, 2013 is likely to be the first time in more than a decade that the U.S. installs more solar capacity than world leader Germany. When all of the numbers are finally in, 2013 will go down as a record-shattering year for the U.S. solar industry. We’ve now joined Germany, China and Japan as worldwide leaders when it comes to the installation of new solar capacity.
According to yet another new report, FERC’s Energy Infrastructure Update, a whopping 99.3 percent of all new electric generation placed in service during the month of October came from renewables—with solar leading the way by a country mile. Twelve new solar units accounted for 504 MW or 72.1 percent of all new capacity in October.
Since the solar ITC went into effect, we’ve gone from being an “upstart industry”—one that our critics predicted would fail miserably—to one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S.—today employing 120,000 Americans at more than 6,000 companies from coast to coast and pumping billions of dollars into the U.S. economy.
But this debate shouldn’t be simply about economics. It should also be about preserving our environment and giving future generations of Americans a fair shot at prosperity. Today, the debate continues over how long oil, natural gas and coal reserves will last before being completely depleted. 100 years? 200 years? Maybe 300 years at most?
Then remember this: the life expectancy of the sun is about 5 billion years—give or take a millennia.
Which do you think is a better long-term investment?
Visit EcoWatch’s RENEWABLES page for more related news on this topic.
