Vermont's Potential for Renewable Energy

July 23, 2010
By Travis Williams

According to Renewable Energy for Vermont, Vermont has the potential to produce over 170MW of energy from existing hydroelectric sources. These sources account for an astonishing 22% of Vermont's overall electricity use.

The majority of these sites are located in smaller existing dam sites (<1MW) , and therefore would not add additional harm to the rivers or surrounding environments. Moreover, because there are so many sites in Vermont, there are more incentives to put these hydroelectric projects in place, because of the benefits to all of the local communities. If we were to tap into this renewable energy source, the hydroelectricity would alleviate the use of 1,000,000 barrels of oil a year.

The economics behind hydroelectricity is astounding, each kilowatt of hydroelectric capacity can, on average, produce 4,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The average price in 2005 in New England was 7.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. So, as Renewable Energy of Vermont has found, a 100 KW hydro site would generate $30,000 in annual income at wholesale rates.

Wind power has also become a staple of Vermont's renewable energy portfolio as the state has recently added many projects such as the Georgia Mountain, Lowell Mountain and Sheffield Project which together will add 115MW of clean energy to Vermont's grid.

There has been talk about adding wind turbines to the ridgeline of Vermont, where there is abundant wind, enough wind that could power the whole state of Vermont.

Projects such as putting wind on the ridgeline of Vermont have come with opposition, due to the process and implementation of putting wind turbines on the ridge. The process entails clearing forest, making new roads in the woods, and erecting 400' wind turbines that are visible from miles away.

In weighing this choice, we must understand the importance of relieving ourselves from energy sources such as oil. The sight of massive wind turbines on the ridgeline of Vermont may be unpleasant to look at for some folks, but wouldn't it be more unpleasant consciously missing a chance to provide ourselves with clean energy that won't be harming the environment? Or one may ask the question: can we really justify not using wind energy where wind energy is economically available, because of aesthetics?

Solar energy is another source of Vermont's potential to create a vibrant economy fueled by clean resources. New developments in such micro industries such as thin film solar technology have made solar energy more efficient in cloudier environments. Breakthroughs in solar technology have also led to the average solar cell absorbing more energy from the sun, making the technology cheaper and more efficient.

Projects such as the Rutland Solar Educational Program, which installed 264 solar panels at an annual output of 50KW, and Senator Sander�s solar outreach program, in which he has created a $500,000 fund for solar energy projects are the type of initiatives the state needs.

Solar, wind and hydroelectricity are the energy sources, which will make Vermont a nationwide leader in clean energy development and distribution. As states across the country are formulating their renewable energy goals, the time is now to say yes and support clean energy development.