The map shows 20 hydrologic regions. The Alaska
Region (see extra map for Alaska
as well as for Hawaii)
contains the largest total potential with its slightly
less than 90,000 MW of potential, which is approximately
30% of the total power potential of the United States.
The Pacific Northwest Region has the second highest
amount of total potential with slightly more than
76,000 MW of potential. Together these two regions
contain over half (55%) of the U.S. power potential.
From the perspective of the largest percentage
of total power potential that has been developed,
the Great Lakes Region (66%) and the Tennessee Region
(37%) are particularly noteworthy with the next
highest regions being the Lower Colorado (23%),
Pacific Northwest (22%), South Atlantic-Gulf (21%),
and California (17%).
The remaining 14 regions range in developed percentages
from 15% to Alaska’s less than 1%. A little over
half of the regions (12 out of 20) have developed
power percentages less than the national average
of 12%.
The percentage for the United States as a whole
is just slightly less than 60%. The total annual
mean power density for the United States is slightly
more than 80 kW/sq mi, which corresponds to an average
energy density of approximately 2,000 kWh/sq mi/day.
for more detailed information: http://hydropower.inel.gov/resourceassessment/pdfs/03-11111.pdf
Renewable
Potential Maps (EIA)
Renewable Potential Maps present an integrated
picture of renewable energy resources in each
U.S. Census Division. Solar, geothermal, and wind
energy potentials and indicators of hydroelectric
and biomass energy potentials (fuelwood harvested,
rivers, and precipitation) are presented.
The Renewable Potential Map series includes maps
of each of the nine U.S. Census Divisions and
individual State maps of Alaska, California, and
Hawaii.
