Trying to Find the Best Location for Solar Energy? Solar Prospector

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has created this great tool called the Solar Prospector. It allows you to locate any point or area in the U.S. and Northern Mexico and determine its suitability for optimal solar energy production.



Learn More About the Solar Prospector Interactive Maps

IPCC: Renewable Energy Can Power the World

For years I've been asking myself why do we as a people (as in the government is us) invest major amounts in non-renewable, polluting, climate changing energy technologies while leaving table scraps for research and implementation of renewables? The answer, of course, is that unfortunately our government is not OUR government, not a government of the people, but a government of the rich and powerful who reap the benefits of government welfare and free research. Hopefully this report will begin to change the tide towards renewables and away from nuclear, coal, fracting, tar sands, oil shale... and any other unsustainable non-renewable energy source.

According to the IPCC, Close to 80 percent of the world’s energy supply could be met by renewables (solar, geothermal, ocean technologies, wind...) by mid-century if backed by the right enabling public policies a new report shows.

The findings, from over 120 researchers working with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), also indicate that the rising penetration of renewable energies could lead to cumulative greenhouse gas savings equivalent to 220 to 560 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtC02eq) between 2010 and 2050.

Press release, download summary report, energy maps and shapefiles

Mike Meuser

GIS Project Development, Data Research and Custom Shapefile Creation
Free GIS Software, Shapefiles, Maps and Tutorials
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If you have data, GIS project or custom shapefile needs send me an email

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All in One Guide to Energy Maps and Shapefiles on Mapcruzin.com

Here is our collection of energy related maps and GIS shapefiles. Check back often as we update this page frequently.

Free Maps

United States Coalbed Methane Maps.

Oil and Gas Related Maps

Residential Energy Consumption Maps by U.S. Census Divisions.

World Energy Maps by county.

Renewable Energy Atlas of the West: A Guide to the Region's Resource Potential.

U.S. Regional Oil and Gas Field Maps.

Renewable Energy Potential Maps by U.S. Census Divisions.

Free Shapefiles

Renewable Energy ArcGIS Shapefiles by U.S. State

• U.S. Renewable Energy Biomass Shapefile.
  
  
• U.S. Wind Energy Shapefiles.
  
  
• U.S. Renewable Energy Hydrogen Shapefile.
  
  
• U.S. Renewable Energy Electric Transmission Shapefile.
  
  
• U.S. Renewable Energy Solar Shapefiles.
  
  
• Oil and Gas Field ArcGIS Shapefile Maps.
  

International Renewable Energy Wind Potential Shapefiles by country.

Create Your Own Maps with Free Shapefiles and GIS

If you are new to GIS and wish to create your own maps using shapefiles, there are plenty of free resources that you can use. We provide a free Learn2Map GIS Tutorial and Shapefile Atlas. We also provides listings of many free GIS software programs and other free shapefiles including the U.S. Census Tiger/Line 2009 ArcGIS Shapefiles for creating base layers like roads, highways, political districts, rivers, etc.

Renewable Energy Wildlife and Wildlands in the West

Renewable energy sources don’t have to conflict with preserving wildlife and wildlands in the Western U.S.

Lovers of the American West will tell you that it's blessed -- and they're right. It's home to significant sources of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and geothermal power... more.