09/14/2012

Wind Power Plentiful, Study Says

Albany Wind Farm, near the town of the same name in Western Australia. Image courtesy of Shuttershock, wind farm
Albany Wind Farm, near the town of the same name in Western Australia. Image courtesy of Shuttershock, wind farm

Wind energy has the theoretical potential to provide hundreds of terawatts of electricity, meeting all of the planet’s energy needs, according to a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Mark Jacobson, one of the authors of the report, and Liz Salerno of the American Wind Energy Association discuss the potential for wind power, and where wind projects stand in the United States.

Segment Guests

Elizabeth Salerno

Elizabeth Salerno is the director of Industry Data & Analysis at the American Wind Energy Association in Washington, D.C.

Mark Z. Jacobson

Mark Jacobson is a professor of civil and environmental engineering and the director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University in Stanford, California.

Meet the Producer

About Charles Bergquist

As Science Friday’s director and senior producer, Charles Bergquist channels the chaos of a live production studio into something sounding like a radio program. Favorite topics include planetary sciences, chemistry, materials, and shiny things with blinking lights.