The U.S. Could Get a Third of Its Electricity From Wind Power—and Save Billions of Gallons of Water [View all]

[eridani]

http://www.freeelectricpower.net/the-u-s-could-get-a-third-of-its-electricity-from-wind-power-and-save/

Could the United States get as much as 35 percent of its electricity from wind power within 35 years?

Absolutely, says the U.S. Department of Energy in a new report that details the benefits of replacing fossil fuel power plants with millions of wind turbines generating carbon-free electricity.

Like perhaps longer showers in drought-stricken regions.

Fossil fuel power plants consume huge amounts of water for cooling. If wind supplied a third of the nation’s electricity by 2050, it would save an estimated 260 billion gallons of water a year. That’s just what California currently uses in about a week, but the savings could have significant local impacts where water shortages are severe.