Ideas that Can Create a 100% Self Sustained Country by 2020

As the United States begins to slowly acknowledge their need to decrease dependence on foreign oil there are multiple steps that can be taken now that can achieve the goal of complete independence from foreign oil by the year 2020.

Solar Power is becoming a legitimate power source along with wind turbines an natural gas vehicles. The following ideas are just a few ideas that can be built or ramped up immediately and can help the United States become energy independent and environmentally friendly by the year 2020.

Solar Power Generation Plants

The emergence of solar power generation plants are sprouting up in the Southwest. Nevada and California have put an aggressive solar power plan together for the next ten years. Nevada has a solar power generation plant being built in Tonopah and both states are working on the Ivanpah Solar Power generation plant in the Mojave Desert next to the Nevada/California border. California's goal is to generate 33% of their power through solar power by the year 2020. Nevada already has a working solar plant just outside of Searchlight, Nevada.

Solar Power Carports and Businesses

The newest trend for many businesses is to convert their garages or carports to solar power generation plants. Google's headquarters is a 100% self contained building utilizing solar power in California. They have installed solar panels on all carports and rooftops throughout their compound.

TWC Construction, a company in Henderson, Nevada, powers their entire facility and their sister building with a massive solar powered carport. This technology could be implemented in short order and if every business took advantage of this solar power technology the entire Southwest could be on solar power exclusively by the year 2020.

Wind Turbines as an Added Source of Energy

California is not stopping with solar power technology. They have built several wind turbine fields in the Tehachapi Mountains, Altamont and San Gorgonio among other areas. California is not the only state utilizing the technology. Texas also has many wind farms and New York has a location in Lowville, New York.

Utilization of the Countries Large Stadiums as Power Generation Plants is in the Works

When professional sports stadiums are built in the future the new model will be to create 100% sustainable venues. Lincoln Field in Philadelphia is already being converted to become 100% self sustained by the Philadelphia Eagles opening kickoff in September of 2011.

The aggressive plan entails using wind turbines along the ridge of the stadium and a solar power generation facility on the property. This is not the only solar powered sports facility in Pennsylvania. Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania is completely energy independent. They have a solar powered electric generation plant just off the racetracks back straightaway. The plant supplies power to the track and 1,000 nearby homes.

Convert National Transportation Vehicles to Natural Gas

T Boone Pickens and his Pickens Plan is gathering steam with Congress and the media. Pickens goal is to convert all of the 18 tractor trailers in the United States to natural gas. The idea sounds preposterous at first but with government tax incentives and construction of hundreds of natural gas filling stations across the United States interstate system this can be accomplished by the year 2020.

The interstate trucking system uses tow thirds of our foreign oil supply and is a primary source of concern in the future. Natural gas is abundant in the United States and until a technology can be developed to power the nations interstate trucking system, natural gas is a smart alternative.

Convert Business Fleets to All Electric Vehicles

Most local, state and federal government agencies have fleets of Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles. By the year 2020 if all government agencies have 100% electric vehicles and charging stations this will make a significant impact on the the nations oil supply and the environment at the same time. Ford is converting their production in the United States to produce 25% of their fleet as electric vehicles. This will also energize the United States economy with the workforce building these government fleets.

Kinetic Energy Speed Bumps

One new possible energy source is emerging as an exciting possibility. Kinetic energy speed bumps and speed plates are already being used in the United States by a Burger King in New Jersey. The technology harnesses the energy of the vehicle as it slows on approach to the speed bump and transfers it's energy to the power source for the restaurant. In England they are already using the technology on roads to power lit signs, billboards and lights for the roads.

sources:

www1.eere.energy.gov/office -Energy Efficiency and Energy Usage