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Electrical power plants—which provide the electricity that utility companies sell
to customers via the grid—have now surpassed transportation as the leading cause
of air pollution in the U.S. In Colorado, power plants are fired mostly by coal
and natural gas. In addition to the devastating environmental impact of mining these
resources, power plants emit thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide and toxic p ollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, as
byproducts. Sulphur dioxide is associated with haze and acid rain, while nitrogen
oxides are a major cause of smog and acid rain.
In addition, power plants are significant water consumers because waste heat—produced
because the plants are only about 36 percent efficient—is cooled with vast quantities
of evaporating water. Whether you offset all or part of your electricity needs with
solar, you can make an extraordinary reduction in emissions of carbon and other
pollutants.
The average Colorado home uses approximately 700 KW hours of electricity per month.
Comparison of three homes, each utilizing 700 KW hours of electricity
per month
(8,400 KWh/year):
HOME #1:
ALL ELECTRICITY SUPPLIED BY XCEL ENERGY’S UTILITY GRID
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT/CONSUMPTION
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ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT/OFFSET
|
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ELECTRICITY USED per year
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8400 KW HOURS
|
|
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SOLAR POWER GENERATED per year
|
0 KW HOURS
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0
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CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
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16,800 LBS.
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0
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MILES OF DRIVING EQUIVALENT per year
|
6,300 MILES (27 mpg)
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0
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SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
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29.23 LBS.
|
0
|
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NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSIONS per year
|
48.72 LBS.
|
0
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POWER PLANT COOLING WATER per year
|
6,300 GALLONS
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0
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HOME #2: HALF OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLIED BY PV
SOLAR SYSTEM
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT/CONSUMPTION
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ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT/OFFSET
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ELECTRICITY USED per year
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4200 KW HOURS
|
|
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SOLAR POWER GENERATED per year
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4200 KW HOURS
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CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
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8,400 LBS.
|
8,400 LBS.
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MILES OF DRIVING EQUIVALENT per year
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3,150 MILES (27 mpg)
|
3,150 MILES (27 mpg)
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SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
|
14.62 LBS.
|
14.62 LBS.
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NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSIONS per year
|
24.36
|
24.36
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POWER PLANT COOLING WATER per year
|
3,150 GALLONS
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3,150 GALLONS
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HOME #3: ALL OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLIED BY PV SOLAR
SYSTEM
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT/CONSUMPTION
|
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT/OFFSET
|
|
ELECTRICITY USED per year
|
8400 KW HOURS
|
|
|
SOLAR POWER GENERATED per year
|
|
8400 KW HOURS
|
|
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
|
0
|
16,800 LBS.
|
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MILES OF DRIVING EQUIVALENT per year
|
0
|
6,300 MILES (27 mpg)
|
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SULPHUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS per year
|
0
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29.23 LBS.
|
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NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSIONS per year
|
0
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48.72 LBS.
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POWER PLANT COOLING WATER per year
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0
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6,300 GALLONS
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References:
http://www.xcelenergy.com
http://www.infinitepower.org
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