U.S. Energy Mapping System
eia.gov
eia.gov
This is classic government contractor fodder, though: I bet it works great with only a handful of users (like during a demo).
It's interesting how renewables are basically absent from the deep south, apparently because there aren't as many renewable resources there.
Calm winds weren't surprising, but I was caught off guard to see that Mississippi and Alabama don't have the same solar potential as states to their west and east at the same latitude.
Wood power plants are huge there and along the coasts, I thought those were only used in third world countries.
It's a bit complex as to whether this is a good thing or not. The main worry is the source of the wood. They claim it's mostly leftovers from sawmills which would be fine if true, but some have thrown doubt on that claim.
> In North Carolina, the heaviest logging is occurring in flood plains and wetlands that are among the region’s most productive natural habits. In Georgia, where most of the trees for wood pellets are grown on pine plantations, natural forests are rapidly disappearing as landowners see new opportunities to make money, said Ben Larson, forestry and bio-energy program manager for the National Wildlife Federation.
> The landscapes most at risk, Larson said, are traditional Southern savannas with a canopy of tall pines and an understory of grass and shrubs that provide food and shelter for wildlife. With more land converted to pines to make wood pellets, the vital understory is disappearing, replaced by stands of fast-growing pines that are raised as a cash drop.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-e...
My guess is that map cost about $150,000. I'd go look through records to find out if I had the time.