Which Renewable Energy Source Produces the Most Power?

The Grand Coulee Dam has the highest power capacity of any renewable energy source in the United States.

Renewable Energy Sources

Geothermal- capacity ranges from 0 megawatts to 800 megawatts

Solar- capacity ranges from 0 megawatts to 350 megawatts

Wind- capacity ranges from 0 megawatts to 750 megawatts

Hydro- capacity ranges from 0 megawatts to 7000 megawatts

Additional Infomation About Renewable Energy Sources

When it comes to renewable energy sources for the United States, most of them do not produce as much energy as traditional non renewable energy sources such as coal or other fossil fuels. On this map, it is clearly shown which sources give the most energy. Hydro power plants in the form of dams produce the most energy by far. However, wind produces a pretty large amount of energy as well which is comparable to hydro. Most geothermal power plants in the United States do not produce that much power as shown and there are not many of them in the United States when compared to other power sources. Solar power produces the least amount of energy in America in most places. All of the renewable energy source power plants are dependant on the environment. We notice that hydro works best in areas with large rivers and water flowage. Wind does best in flat plain areas like the midwest regions. Geothermal power is really only seen in the western regions of America with a lot of geologic activity. Solar power is set up all over the United States but is shown to give the most power in the southwest where the sun is more prominent. Overall, if the United States as a nation were to switch over from fossil fuels to renewable energy source, water and air would have the greatest supply of power for the country.

Map authored by Owen Mickelson on December 1, 2016