PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS: Renewables

Although wind, solar, hydropower and other renewable sources contribute less than 11% to the total electric power we generate in the U.S. today, they are an important resource for our future. Some economists predict that these sources will supply one third (33%) of all the electricity used in the world by the year 2026 and 50% by the year 2050.

Renewable energy sources are desirable because they don't run out. For the most part, they are environmentally safe, although large hydroelectric dams can sometimes cause environmental problems.

Electricity from sources like solar and wind has been more expensive to generate than electricity from nuclear and fossil fuels, but this is starting to change. People are beginning to understand that environmental costs and economic costs are related. Faced with environmental challenges and dwindling supplies of fuel, both power producers and power consumers are looking for new solutions.

Engineers are working to make environmentally safe renewable power sources more efficient, easy to use, and easy to mass produce. Their efforts are starting to bring down the cost. And three out of four energy consumers in the United States have said they're willing to pay a little bit more for electric power generated from renewable sources.

NEXT: Looking to the Future

Photo: Warren Gretz/U.S. Department of Energy