2006 SNWI Home
2006 Wealth Defined
SNWI Uses and Users
Indicators
Social Capital
Natural Capital
Land Use
Water Use
Groundwater
Agricultural Production
Farm Acreage
Williamson Act
Value of Agriculture Using Sierra Nevada Water
Value of Agriculture Sold Directly to Individuals
Organic Agriculture
Forests & Timber Production
Fire Threat
Air Pollution: Particulate Matter
Air Pollution: Ozone
Global Warming
Energy Production
Energy Use
Electricity Prices
Vehicle Miles Traveled
Solid Waste
Toxics Pollution
Financial Capital
Summary
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Energy ProductionHydropower and Geothermal Electricity Enable the Sierra Nevada to Export Electricity Why is it important? The production of electricity is a transfer of natural capital to financial capital in the Sierra Nevada. In particular, the production of renewable energy through biomass, hydropower, and geothermal facilities increases the Sierra Nevada’s natural and financial wealth simultaneously. In 2002, a bill enacted in California required the state to generate 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources, excluding hydropower, by no later than 2017.20 This will require more creative production of energy as the population increases. Data here represents power plants that produce one megawatt-hour or more and reported production for all the years presented. How are we doing? The Sierra Nevada exports a tremendous amount of electricity to California's urban areas. Residential use is less than five megawatt-hours per person per year, so even the North Central Sierra, where per capita production is by far the lowest, exports electricity. Generation has been increasing in the North and North Central Sierra, but declining in the East Sierra. The North, North Central, and South Central Sierra rely heavily on hydropower for electricity production. Sierra Nevada water flow is a direct source of electricity for both the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley. The East Sierra has the greatest existing and potential production of geothermal electricity in the Sierra Nevada.21 Utilizing state funding for research and development, the Mammoth Pacific Limited Partnership has received awards for innovation and research for developing the world’s first air-cooled geothermal electricity production facility.22 This design helps generate clean, renewable electricity in the summer as demand for electricity rises.23 20 U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved May 17, 2005 from http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/archive.cfm/pubDate=%7Bd%20'2002-09-18'%7D 21 Geo-Heat Center. http://geoheat.oit.edu/califor.htm 22 California Energy Commission. Six Projects to Advance Geothermal Energy Research and Production in California. Retrieved May 17, 2005 from http://www.energy.ca.gov/releases/2001_releases/2001-07-30_geotherm_grants.html 23 California Environmental Protection Agency. December 1, 2003. Retrieved May 17, 2005 from http://www.calepa.ca.gov/PressRoom/Releases/2003/R6.htm
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