ST. LOUIS – From electric cars to windmill farms to solar energy, we are hearing more about green energy, mainly due to global warming creating erratic and extreme weather.
For the doubters and deniers, the evidence is difficult to ignore. Even the cold seasons don’t last as long and are milder, while the droughts are more severe and flooding—along with hurricanes—is more devastating. According to many scientists, the rate of warming is unprecedented.
The rush is on for green energy, particularly solar power.
Green energy can be controversial and political but it is fundamentally better for the environment and the pocketbook. In addition to our daily forecasts, we provide a Solar Cast that highlights the potential benefits of solar energy. Even on a cloudy day, there can be a 10% to 20% savings through solar energy.
“The sun can project enough energy in one hour than the whole world uses in a year,” Scott Wibbenmeyer, Ameren’s director of renewable energy development, said.
Illinois is ahead of Missouri in both solar and wind energy generation. Texas and California lead the way nationally in solar energy generation, while Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas lead the way in wind power generation. Look for innovations and efficiency improvement and battery storage applications in the case of solar.