The National Renewable Energy Laboratory sounds like one of those things that could go either way. Maybe it’s cool: “energy laboratory” sounds neat. Maybe it’s boring: “national” anything tends to be a snooze. (For example.) Funded by the Department of Energy (boring), NREL explores how the country can better use renewable power (also kind of boring). (You know, in the objective sense. Kids find it boring, for example. Like, little kids. Toddlers. I assume.)
NREL also provides detailed maps of where in the United States a developer can reap the most benefit from various types of renewable energy. That is cool.
Here is the map of the best places for photovoltaic solar.
Click to embiggen.
And for wind.
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Hydrogen.
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Geothermal.
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Biomass — in this case, forest.
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If you live anywhere but the mid-Atlantic, you’re sitting on a renewable energy gold mine.
You know who would have liked these? Early American settlers. Well, if they had solar panels. You know who’d really like it? Greenbeard the pirate. Or the kids from The Goonies, though living in the Pacific Northwest kind of kiboshes the solar PV idea.
Point being: This is America, where making money is cool. Which puts it over the top. Nice work, NREL. You’re good people.
