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Solar Photovoltaics and Land-Based Wind Technical Potential and Supply Curves for the Contiguous United States (2023 Edition)

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/2283517· OSTI ID:2283517
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  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
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Estimates of the potential of renewable energy are essential for understanding how we can decarbonize our electric grid and economy. They provide key data for policymakers, land managers, and energy modelers by defining the quantity, quality, and cost of renewable resources. However, estimating renewable energy potential is challenging and requires frequent updates because of rapid advances in technology, cost reductions, and uncertainty about developable land that are due to social, regulatory, and environmental factors. Additionally, the complex processes involved in renewable energy development require regular reviews of methods and assumptions, which can also impact our understanding of renewable potential. In this, the 2023 edition of this annual report, we present new estimates of the technical potential for land-based wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) for the contiguous United States (CONUS). We also provide cost estimates for the available resources, presenting representative supply curves that can be used in downstream modeling and analysis. Additionally, we introduce the new methodologies used to estimate wind capacity, wind energy losses, transmission cost and representation, updated technology cost and design, and scenarios of siting constraints designed to help bound the uncertainty of renewable potential.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Wind Energy Technologies Office
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
2283517
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP--6A20-87843; MainId:88618; UUID:29c309fa-91cd-4410-9618-4e94ff6d621d; MainAdminId:71608
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
17 WIND ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
geospatial
land-based wind
solar PV
supply curves
technical potential