Renewable energy has many strengths because it is diverse and flexible, with zero or low-cost fuel. Another strength is renewable energy can be built at homes, businesses, and farms.
Distributed generation is proliferating across America and uses a variety of technologies from solar to biodigesters on farms. As of 2013, 220 biodigesters were operating on farms across America. In 2012, they generated 625 million kilowatt-hours, enough power for 62,500 homes.
http://www.epa.gov/agstar/about-us/accomplish.html.
Biodigesters need fuel. In Pennsylvania, that fuel includes a sculpture made from 1,000 pounds of butter that is a feature of the annual Farm Show. Once the show ends, the sculpture is taken to a Pennsylvania farm with a biodigester, where the butter provides 3 days of energy for the farm.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2014/01/02/how-art-becomes-energy-the-fate-of-the-farm-shows-1000-pound-butter-sculpture/.
Another example of booming renewable energy is biodigesters
proliferating at a rapid rate, increasing more than 20% since 2011, when
180 were operating.
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/biogas.asp.
Going forward, a great opportunity to improve farming and our environment is to accelerate the deployment of biodigesters.
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