| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | Pearce. |
| In Kingston, Ontario, Canada, lies the well known, | | | | In a second study, the group focused on the land in |
| research-intensive, Queen's University, which began in | | | | southeastern Ontario that could be developed into |
| 1841. | | | | wind farms. They concentrated strictly on land that |
| On April 14, 2010, a detailed report was released to the | | | | was unusable for traditional farming, being rocky, |
| public which disclosed the findings of two unique | | | | barren, and of very little economic value whatsoever. |
| studies conducted by the Queen’s University | | | | Much of this proposed land was located relatively |
| Applied Sustainability Research Group. | | | | close to electrical grids. |
| This Research Group claims that if you took the | | | | They located enough land to produce about 90 |
| combined power of all of the nuclear reactors in the | | | | gigawatts of power. |
| United States, the southeastern portion of Ontario quite | | | | Nuclear power for all of the United States is about |
| possibly has the potential to generate the same | | | | 100 gigawatts. We can produce 90 on barren land with |
| amount of power using only solar energy power. Now | | | | just solar in this tiny region, so we are not talking about |
| that’s a very bold statement, don’t you | | | | small potatoes, proclaims Professor Pearce. |
| think? | | | | These studies, however, were aimed at providing |
| Queen's Mechanical Engineering Department, led by | | | | Canadian policy makers with some accurate numbers |
| Professor Joshua Pearce, is the first to conduct such | | | | on the solar energy potential of southeastern Ontario |
| an investigative solar energy study in the region. Their | | | | as well as locate land for developers regarding |
| findings were surprisingly staggering with regard to the | | | | possible wind farm locations. |
| amount of gigawatts that could be produced. | | | | As I see these stories unfolding daily, it is becoming |
| Professor Pearce says, "We came up with enormous | | | | more of a realization that our energy future is evolving |
| numbers and we were being conservative. There are | | | | before our very eyes. |
| about 95 gigawatts of power just in southeastern | | | | Solar energy is much cleaner and much less |
| Ontario - that shows there is massive potential". | | | | dangerous than traditional forms of energy production |
| The first study considered only the choice rooftops | | | | and according to studies like these, equally powerful. |
| that were in position to glean the most sunlight with | | | | The time to take advantage of this energy-revolution is |
| minimal shading. They discovered that if these roofs | | | | now. Consider for yourself the possibilities of solar |
| were covered with solar panels, they could produce | | | | energy for your home or office building. You’ll |
| five gigawatts, or roughly about five percent of all of | | | | save substantially on your electricity bills. |
| Ontario’s energy needs. | | | | With the comprehensive plans available today, |
| To put this into perspective, all the coal plants in all | | | | everyone can learn how to build and assemble your |
| of Ontario produce just over six gigawatts. The sun | | | | own solar panels. |
| doesn’t always shine, so if you couple solar | | | | Make it a weekend training project with your kids and |
| power with other renewable energy sources such as | | | | help teach the next generation about solar energy, and |
| wind, hydro, and bio-mass, southeastern Ontario could | | | | conserving the earth for the future. |
| easily cover its own energy needs, says Professor | | | | |