Chpater 3 : Sustainability

Solar Energy

The solar energy is the big part of renewable energy for Las Vegas. The Southern Nevada is the best places in the United States to collect solar energy because Las Vegas has 250 days of sunshine each year. Since 2007, 400 acre solar plant produced enough solar energy for 14,000 homes. Also to establish the solar plant created 800 construction jobs and 30 permanent operations jobs. Nevada is expecting to produce more solar power about 2,000 megawatts capacity by 2014. The solar energy industry is rapidly developing in Las Vegas.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy is produced by Humboldt County's Blue Mountain which is in northwestern Nevada. The Las Vegas is southern Nevada so Geothermal Energy is not produces by my chosen city but Las Vegas is also getting Geothermal Energy from Blue Mountain. In taps of the Blue Mountain, the geothermal power plant boiling hot water just beneath the earth's surface, it converts it into electricity for 40,000 homes. Geothermal Energy creates 7 percent of Nevada's electricity and create more than 2,500 jobs and generate $310 million in revenue each year.

Water

Lake Mead is the major source of Las Vegas's water supply. Lake Mead has a storage capacity of 24 million-acre-feet(MAF) and the current volume of Lake Mead is 12.361 MAF, which is 56.75% of full-pool capacity. Las Vegas city uses over 500,000 acre-feet of water annually and over 90% of water came from Lake Mead. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the Unites States. During 2000 to 2010, the population grew at a rate of 41.8%. The population is approximately 2 million people with 36 million annual visitors. We can't live without water. But the Lake Mead water level is continually dropping.

Wind Energy 

LasVegas has the potential to make more than half its electricity needs through wind energy, but there is no wind energy plant yet. Many Wind Energy projects are on the stage of development.