In Search of 25% by 2025

This image represents research about finding new and innovative approaches towards successfully reaching renewable energy goals - such as America’s goal of having 10 percent of our electricity coming from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025. The USA has limited areas of land to use and a myriad of other obstacles on the way towards this goal. One of which is that renewable energy initiatives have traditionally been exclusive of and compete with each other for funding, resources and land use. Using GIS and other tools, this research attempts to break this tradition and bring each together cooperatively by showing, first in Illinois, what tracts of land in the USA can support multiple renewable energy initiatives simultaneously on the same tracts of land (Ex. Interstate Highways). Overlapping on the map are representations of optimal biomass (Ethanol) growth areas that also have high annual average wind speeds for concurrent turbine electricity production. Other areas of the country will also show optimal areas for solar and geothermal energy production on these same tracts of federal, public and private lands. 25% by 2025!