Renewables in YOUR community

Looking around the area where you live, you may have noticed that the presence and availability of renewable energy has increased significantly over the last several years. 

From wind turbines powering millions of homes to solar panels generating power on rooftops across large sections of the country, the cost of energy from renewable sources has fallen dramatically over the past decade as the availability of alternative sources of energy has increased. Today, the United States has enough clean energy capacity to power 50 million homes, and over 300,000 Americans are employed by the renewable energy industry.

As this transformation has occurred, traditional energy providers are adapting. Clean energy now comes from sources that you may not have thought of as being in the renewable space a decade ago. A recent example is bp which recently announced a deal to acquire 9 gigawatts (GW) of solar projects. Spanning 12 states, including Texas and the Midwest, this project will create thousands of well-paying jobs in addition to increasing the amount of renewable energy that powers our communities. 

Dave Lawler, bp America chairman and president, said: “bp’s new high-quality solar portfolio will provide low carbon energy, create US jobs and deliver the competitive returns our shareholders expect. In line with our strategy, we’ll aim to integrate these projects with our existing onshore and offshore wind, natural gas, and trading and shipping businesses to give customers what they want – reliable, affordable and clean energy.”

With announcements like this, it is clear that the United States is well on its way to a future where the majority of our energy is produced by renewable sources. As major players in the oil and gas industry jump into the clean energy market, it will quickly accelerate us toward a future where wind and solar provide a significant source of the energy that Americans use on a daily basis.