Solar is Renewable
At Solar Dynamix we don’t think renewable solar energy is going to save the world. The planet’s vast and changing energy needs must be addressed through a host of solutions. But for many Iowans, renewable solar energy is the most practical, affordable, and realistic solution. And solutions are needed today. The United States consumes a quarter of the worlds energy, yet we make up only about five percent of the world’s population. Most of that energy comes from fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, with a smaller portion coming from nuclear power.
Unlike those sources, renewable solar energy emits zero:
Pollutants from fossil fuels are not just a global or national concern, they have real health consequences in our own backyard. Ninety-two percent of Iowans live within 30 miles of a coal plant, and almost one out of three Iowa children attend school in close proximity to a coal plant. Additionally, Iowa is home to several of the oldest, least efficient and most polluting coal burning power plants in the nation, those grandfathered and exempted from stricter emissions limits after passage of the Clean Air Act in 1977.
This report represents a preliminary effort to correlate the known disease burden and costs to Iowans of relying on coal to produce energy. Information was drawn for correlation and analysis from a variety of publicly available scientific resources, databases, and recently published research pertinent to Iowa.
Download the report:
Executive Summary (pdf)
Full Report (pdf)
Full Report, High Resolution (pdf)
Unlike those sources, renewable solar energy emits zero:
- Carbon dioxide, believed to be the leading cause of climate change.
- Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, which cause acid rain and smog.
- Radioactive waste, for which there is still no permanent disposal solution.
- The heavy metal mercury, which causes neurological damage. Mercury gets into our water supply, particularly through coal-fired power plants
Pollutants from fossil fuels are not just a global or national concern, they have real health consequences in our own backyard. Ninety-two percent of Iowans live within 30 miles of a coal plant, and almost one out of three Iowa children attend school in close proximity to a coal plant. Additionally, Iowa is home to several of the oldest, least efficient and most polluting coal burning power plants in the nation, those grandfathered and exempted from stricter emissions limits after passage of the Clean Air Act in 1977.
This report represents a preliminary effort to correlate the known disease burden and costs to Iowans of relying on coal to produce energy. Information was drawn for correlation and analysis from a variety of publicly available scientific resources, databases, and recently published research pertinent to Iowa.
Download the report:
Executive Summary (pdf)
Full Report (pdf)
Full Report, High Resolution (pdf)