The Center for American Progress has an interactive map up, showing per-capita CO2 emissions from U.S. states. No big shock -- the big emitters are the big coal users, and the low emitters are the big hydro users.
The point CAP is pushing is this: "The 10 cleanest states based on per capita emissions ... have aggressive renewable energy and/or efficiency programs."
I think this probably gets the causation backward. The states with the least coal in their electricity mix, and thus the lowest per-capita emissions, are more likely to get behind R&E programs. States with lots of coal, where R&E would mean serious economic disruption, are less likely to implement such programs.
Another coal plant bites the dust
Blowing up our clean energy future
Comments
View as Flat
EnviroFan Posted 6:54 am
26 Oct 2008
http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2008/~/media/Files/rc/re ...
Let's make this place better.
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energy engineer Posted 7:59 am
26 Oct 2008
The lowest emmiters have a total of 137 electorial votes, while the highest have 59 (yes, I've been staring at way too many electorial maps lately!). When you take out the 2 each for Senators, I think they have a 117-39 House of Rep. advantage. So are we underestimating the ability to get emissions limits at the federal level?
The top 2 emitters (Wyoming and North Dakota) have tremendous opportunities for wind power, and are starting to pursue it in a big way.
The juxtoposition of those wind states and the hydro states. One way that countries like Denmark have been so successful with high penetrations of wind power, is that they have paired their grid with countries with high levels of hydro. This is good for everyone. The amount of total hydro energy available is in part governed by the amount of water built up over long periods of time (seasons). Wind allows you to stretch out the use of the hydro-powered enegery that you have available. And while it is cheap power, its intermittant, and benefits from quick-dispatch hydro.
The map format is a great way to see the solutions available, and the political ability to get them implimented.
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David Roberts Posted 8:32 am
26 Oct 2008
grist.org
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