Idaho State Governors

	George Laird Shoup
	Governor #: 1 Term Start: October 1, 1890 Term End: December 18, 1890 Number of Terms: 1/2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): N. B. Willey	Born: June 24, 1836 Birth (place): Kittanning, Pennsylvania Died: December 21, 1904 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Leona Darnuster Profession: Mining, Military Religion: Presbyterian

	Norman Bushnell Willey
	Governor #: 2 Term Start: December 18, 1890 Term End: January 1, 1893 Number of Terms: 1/2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): John S. Gray	Born: March 25, 1838 Birth (place): Guilford, New York Died: October 20, 1921 Died (place): Topeka, Kansas Spouse(s): *** Profession: Mining Religion: Protestant

	William John McConnell
	Governor #: 3 Term Start: January 1, 1893 Term End: January 4, 1897 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): F. B. Willis, F. J. Mills	Born: September 18, 1839 Birth (place): Commerce, Michigan Died: March 30, 1925 Died (place): Moscow, Idaho Spouse(s): Louisa Brown Profession: Agriculture, Mining Religion: Presbyterian

	Frank Steunenberg
	Governor #: 4 Term Start: January 4, 1897 Term End: January 7, 1901 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Democrat, Populist Lt. Governor(s): George F. Moore, J. H. Hutchinson	Born: August 8, 1861 Birth (place): Keokuk, Iowa Died: December 30, 1905 Died (place): Caldwell, Idaho Spouse(s): Belle Keppel Steunenberg Profession: Newspaper Publisher, Politician Religion: Christian

	Frank Williams Hunt
	Governor #: 5 Term Start: January 7, 1901 Term End: January 5, 1903 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Thomas F. Terrell	Born: December 16, 1871 Birth (place): Louisville, Kentucky Died: November 25, 1906 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Ruth Maynard Profession: Mining, Military Religion: Episcopalian

	John Tracy Morrison
	Governor #: 6 Term Start: January 5, 1903 Term End: January 2, 1905 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): James M. Stevens	Born: December 25, 1860 Birth (place): Jefferson County, Pennsylvania Died: December 20, 1915 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Grace Darling Mackey Profession: Attorney Religion: Presbyterian

	Frank Robert Gooding
	Governor #: 7 Term Start: January 2, 1905 Term End: January 4, 1909 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Burpee L. Steeves, Ezra A. Burrell	Born: September 16, 1859 Birth (place): Tiverton, Devon, England Died: June 24, 1928 Died (place): Gooding, Idaho Spouse(s): Amanda Thomas Profession: Agriculture Religion: Methodist

	James Henry Brady
	Governor #: 8 Term Start: January 4, 1909 Term End: January 2, 1911 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Lewis H. Sweetser	Born: June 12, 1862 Birth (place): Indiana County, Pennsylvania Died: January 13, 1918 Died (place): Washington, D.C. Spouse(s): Sarah H. Haines, Irene Moore Profession: Real estate Religion: Congregationalist

	James Henry Hawley
	Governor #: 9 Term Start: January 2, 1911 Term End: January 6, 1913 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Lewis H. Sweetser	Born: January 17, 1847 Birth (place): Dubuque, Iowa Died: August 3, 1929 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Mary E. Bullock Profession: Attorney Religion: Roman Catholic

	John Michiner Haines
	Governor #: 10 Term Start: January 6, 1913 Term End: January 4, 1915 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Herman H. Taylor	Born: January 1, 1863 Birth (place): Jasper County, Iowa Died: June 4, 1927 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Mary Symons Profession: Real estate Religion: Quaker

	Moses Alexander
	Governor #: 11 Term Start: January 4, 1915 Term End: January 6, 1919 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Herman H. Taylor, Ernest L. Parker	Born: November 13, 1853 Birth (place): Obrigheim, Kingdom of Bavaria Died: January 4, 1932 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Helena Kaestner Alexander Profession: Merchant Religion: Jewish

	David William Davis
	Governor #: 12 Term Start: January 6, 1919 Term End: January 1, 1923 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Charles C. Moore	Born: April 23, 1873 Birth (place): Cardiff, Wales Died: August 5, 1959 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Florence Gilliland, Nellie Johnson Profession: Banker Religion: Methodist

	Charles Calvin Moore
	Governor #: 13 Term Start: January 1, 1923 Term End: January 3, 1927 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): H. C. Baldridge	Born: February 26, 1866 Birth (place): Holt County, Missouri Died: March 19, 1958 Died (place): Salt Lake City, Utah Spouse(s): Minnie McCoy, Clara W. Wallan Profession: Teacher, Banker, Real estate Religion: Christian

	H. Clarence Baldridge
	Governor #: 14 Term Start: January 3, 1927 Term End: January 5, 1931 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): O. E. Hailey, W. B. Kinne, O. E. Hailey	Born: November 24, 1868 Birth (place): Carlock, Illinois Died: June 8, 1947 Died (place): Parma, Idaho Spouse(s): Cora McCreight Profession: Agribusiness Religion: Presbyterian

	Charles Benjamin Ross
	Governor #: 15 Term Start: January 5, 1931 Term End: January 4, 1937 Number of Terms: 3 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): G. P. Mix, George E. Hill, G. P. Mix	Born: December 27, 1876 Birth (place): Parma, Idaho Territory Died: March 31, 1946 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Edna May Reavis Profession: Rancher Religion: Congregationalist

	Barzilla Worth Clark
	Governor #: 16 Term Start: January 4, 1937 Term End: January 2, 1939 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Charles C. Gossett	Born: December 22, 1880 Birth (place): Hendricks County, Indiana Died: September 21, 1943 Died (place): Idaho Falls, Idaho Spouse(s): Ethel Peck Profession: Engineer Religion: Methodist

	Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen
	Governor #: 17 Term Start: January 2, 1939 Term End: January 6, 1941 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Donald S. Whitehead	Born: October 10, 1891 Birth (place): Superior, Wisconsin Died: July 18, 1964 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Elizabeth Hanna Profession: Publisher Religion: Lutheran

	Chase Addison Clark
	Governor #: 18 Term Start: January 6, 1941 Term End: January 4, 1943 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Charles C. Gossett	Born: August 20, 1883 Birth (place): Amo, Indiana Died: December 30, 1966 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Jean Burnett Profession: Attorney Religion: Presbyterian

	Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen
	Governor #: 19 Term Start: January 4, 1943 Term End: January 1, 1945 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Edwin Nelson	Born: October 10, 1891 Birth (place): Superior, Wisconsin Died: July 18, 1964 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Elizabeth Hanna Profession: Publisher Religion: Lutheran

	Charles Clinton Gossett
	Governor #: 20 Term Start: January 1, 1945 Term End: November 17, 1945 Number of Terms: 1/2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Arnold Williams	Born: September 2, 1888 Birth (place): Pricetown, Ohio Died: September 20, 1974 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Clara Louise Fleming Profession: Agriculture Religion: Christian

	Arnold Williams
	Governor #: 21 Term Start: November 17, 1945 Term End: January 6, 1947 Number of Terms: 1/2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): A. R. McCabe	Born: May 22, 1898 Birth (place): Fillmore, Utah Died: May 25, 1970 Died (place): Rexburg, Idaho Spouse(s): Luella Huskinson Profession: Dry cleaner Religion: Mormon

	Charles Armington Robins
	Governor #: 22 Term Start: January 6, 1947 Term End: January 1, 1951 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Donald S. Whitehead	Born: December 8, 1884 Birth (place): Defiance, Iowa Died: September 20, 1970 Died (place): Lewiston, Idaho Spouse(s): Marguerite Cranberry Profession: Physician Religion: Episcopalian

	Leonard Beck "Len" Jordan
	Governor #: 23 Term Start: January 1, 1951 Term End: January 3, 1955 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Edson H. Deal	Born: May 15, 1899 Birth (place): Mount Pleasant, Utah Died: June 30, 1983 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Grace Edgington Profession: Agriculture Religion: Methodist

	Robert Eben Smylie
	Governor #: 24 Term Start: January 3, 1955 Term End: January 2, 1967 Number of Terms: 3 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): J. Berkeley Larsen, W. E. Drevlow	Born: October 31, 1914 Birth (place): Marcus, Iowa Died: July 17, 2004 Died (place): Boise, Idaho Spouse(s): Lucille Irwin Profession: Attorney Religion: Methodist

	Donald William Samuelson
	Governor #: 25 Term Start: January 2, 1967 Term End: January 4, 1971 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Jack M. Murphy	Born: July 27, 1913 Birth (place): Woodhull, Illinois Died: January 20, 2000 Died (place): Sandpoint, Idaho Spouse(s): Ruby Samuelson Profession: Sporting goods Religion: Methodist

	Cecil Dale Andrus
	Governor #: 26 Term Start: January 4, 1971 Term End: January 24, 1977 Number of Terms: 1 1/2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): Jack M. Murphy, John V. Evans	Born: August 25, 1931 Birth (place): Hood River, Oregon Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Carol M. May Profession: Military Religion: Lutheran

	John Victor Evans, Sr.
	Governor #: 27 Term Start: January 24, 1977 Term End: January 5, 1987 Number of Terms: 2 1/2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): William J. Murphy, Phil Batt, David H. Leroy	Born: January 18, 1925 Birth (place): Malad City, Idaho Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Lola Evans Profession: Banker Religion: Mormon

	Cecil Dale Andrus
	Governor #: 28 Term Start: January 5, 1987 Term End: January 2, 1995 Number of Terms: 2 Party: Democratic Lt. Governor(s): C.L. "Butch" Otter	Born: August 25, 1931 Birth (place): Hood River, Oregon Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Carol M. May Profession: Military Religion: Lutheran

	Philip Eugene Batt
	Governor #: 29 Term Start: January 2, 1995 Term End: January 4, 1999 Number of Terms: 1 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): C.L. "Butch" Otter	Born: March 4, 1927 Birth (place): Wilder, Idaho Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Jacque Fallis Batt Profession: Farmer, Politician Religion: Baptist

	Dirk Arthur Kempthorne
	Governor #: 30 Term Start: January 4, 1999 Term End: May 26, 2006 Number of Terms: 1 1/2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): C.L. "Butch" Otter, Jack Riggs, Jim Risch	Born: October 29, 1951 Birth (place): San Diego, California Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Patricia Kempthorne Profession: Politician Religion: Methodist

	James Elroy "Jim" Risch
	Governor #: 31 Term Start: May 26, 2006 Term End: January 1, 2007 Number of Terms: 1/2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Mark Ricks	Born: May 3, 1943 Birth (place): Milwaukee, Wisconsin Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Vicki Risch Profession: Attorney Religion: Roman Catholic

	Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter
	Governor #: 32 Term Start: January 1, 2007 Term End: Incumbent Number of Terms: 2 Party: Republican Lt. Governor(s): Jim Risch, Brad Little	Born: May 3, 1942 Birth (place): Caldwell, Idaho Died: alive Died (place): alive Spouse(s): Gay Simplot, Lori Easley Profession: Agribusiness Religion: Roman Catholic

Idaho State Flag: History, Design, Trivia

DATE FIRST USED   Idaho State Flag March 12, 1907 NICKNAME(S) None DESIGN ELEMENTS A blue flag with a two-and-a-half-inch gilt fringe. Idaho's state seal centers in the field, and a red ribbon with a gold border and the words "State of Idaho" sits below. Symbols: The state seal of Idaho. The state motto, Esto Perpetua or "May it Endure Forever," centers at the top. Beneath the motto, an elk head symbolizing wildlife, surmounts a shield showing an Idaho landscape, including a pine tree that stands for the state's timber industry. Below it are a sheaf of wheat and two yellow cornucopias representing agriculture and plenty. Justice personified, a woman holding a scale, stands to the left. A miner with a shovel and pick stands to the right and represents the state's historically important mining industry. Colors: Deep blue, red, yellow, black, green, white, sky blue, gray, and brown. The flag's deep blue background color was adopted from the national flag. The other colors make a realistic picture. Proportions: 26:33 Variations: Most Idaho flags are made in the standard American manufacturers' sizes, 3:5, 5:8, and 2:3. Many Idaho flags do not include the fringe required in the flag's legal description. HISTORY When the United States Congress declared war against Spain on April 19, 1898, the Secretary of War asked each state to allot troops for the upcoming war. Though still just a U.S. territory, Idaho sent two infantry battalions, each made up of four companies. At the governor's request, the First Regiment reported to the capital before leaving. There, the women of Idaho presented the soldiers with what was to become the model for the first state flag. Charles H. Irvin, a colonel, had developed the general design, which was "military" blue with the state seal in the center. Rather than stitch the flag themselves, the ladies had the flag professionally sewn and embroidered in Chicago. The solders carried this flag with them throughout the war and returned it to Idaho afterwards. In 1907, a state flag was needed for other purposes. A new act defining the flag said only that the flag should be blue and have the state's name on it, and otherwise gave the state's adjutant general quite a bit of freedom to design the flag. C.A. Elmer, a National Guard brigadier general, used the First Regiment's Spanish-American war flag as a model. The embroidered panel on the original flag was rectangular. The new state flag was to have a round seal, and the state's name would appear below as stipulated in the law, where the regiment name had been on the original. The brigadier general's design specification was, in the end, much more specific that the original law. This changed in 1927. A new, clearer law was passed, defining how Idaho flags should look more specifically. The seal's design was updated in 1957, so the flag changed again as well, but the basic elements on both the seal and the flag remained the same. PROPER USES Whenever the Idaho flag flies alongside the United States flag or other national flags, the national flag takes precedence. When hoisted on the same pole, the U.S. flag should be at the top and the Idaho flag below. The U.S. flag should also be hoisted first and lowered last. At parades, the state flag should never be placed in front of the U.S. flag or to its right. In an auditorium, the state flag should be on the speaker's left and the U.S. flag on the speaker's right. LEGENDS, CONTROVERSIES, AND TRIVIA Though the brigadier general's description was quite detailed, it did not include the gold rim saying "Great Seal of the State of Idaho" that appears on the seal as a matter of course. Flags without this border were common in early days and were still sometimes seen late in the 20th century. Mrs. Calvin Cobb, the woman instrumental in getting the First Regiment's flag professionally sewn and embroidered, was the wife of the publisher of the Idaho Statesman and a Chicago native. Her mother, Mrs. J.B. Lyon, supervised the needlework from Chicago and sent the flag back to Idaho. This is significant because at the time, Idaho was still just a territory. As such it had relatively few women, and still fewer who had the training or time to spend on this kind of project. -World Trade Press

Residential Energy Consumption Residential Energy Consumption Map for Mountain States View/Print/Download a PDF version of the map STATE-BY-STATE ENERGY USE How much energy does your household use, and what kind? You might be surprised how much the answers depend on where you live. The map at right is part of a series covering the nine U.S. Census divisions. It displays data collected in the 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). This survey, the twelfth since 1978, was conducted by the National Energy Information Center to investigate the use of energy in residential housing units in the United States. FEATURES The map shows how much natural gas, fuel oil, electricity, and motor gasoline each state consumes. You can get a sense of per capita use by noting the color of the state; the darker the state, the higher its population density. The map also shows average rainfall and gives an idea of how often households are likely to use energy to heat or cool their homes. Blue squares show the level of demand for air conditioning. Red squares show chilly weather when energy is used for heating. EXTENT OF THE SURVEY The 2005 survey collected data from 4,382 households in housing units statistically selected to represent the 111.1 million housing units in the United States. The map shown here uses only some of the information collected; RECS also documented other energy-related data such as the type of housing unit surveyed, who lived there, what types of fuels they used, and what appliances they owned. The RECS also provides energy consumption and expenditures data for natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and kerosene. HOW RECS COLLECTS DATA RECS data come from three sources: 45-minute in-person interviews with householders of sampled housing units. Answers provided by rental agents about sampled rental units where energy costs were included in the rent. This information was collected through mail questionnaires, in-person interviews, and telephone interviews. Mail questionnaires from energy suppliers who provide actual energy consumption and expenditure data for the sampled housing unit.

Renewable Energy Sources in the United States Source: U.S. National Atlas Hydropower Wind Power Solar Power Geothermal Power Biomass Power Renewable energy sources are energy sources that are continually replenished. These include energy from water, wind, the sun, geothermal sources, and biomass sources such as energy crops. In contrast, fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas are non-renewable. Once a deposit of these fuels is depleted it cannot be replenished – a replacement deposit must be found instead. Both renewable and non-renewable energy sources are used to generate electricity, power vehicles, and provide heating, cooling, and light. Renewable sources of energy vary widely in their cost-effectiveness and in their availability across the United States. Although water, wind, and other renewables may appear free, their cost comes in collecting, harnessing, and transporting the energy so that it can do useful work. For example, to utilize energy from water, a dam must be built along with electric generators and transmission lines. Renewables themselves are non-polluting, while the structures built to harness them can have positive or negative environmental impacts. For example, dams may affect fish migration but may also create wildlife habitat. Hydropower An impoundment hydropower plant dams water in a reservoir. Hydropower refers to using water to generate electricity. Water is the most common renewable source of energy in the United States today. Many hydroelectric power plants use a dam on a river to store water. Water released from behind the dam flows through a turbine, spinning it, which then turns a generator to produce electricity. Electricity generated this way is known as hydroelectricity, and it accounts for about 7% of the electricity used by the nation. Hydroelectric power doesn't necessarily require a large dam – some hydroelectric power plants just use a small canal to channel the river water through a turbine. A small or micro-hydroelectric power system can produce enough electricity for a home, farm, or ranch. The Tazimina project in Alaska is an example of a diversion hydropower plant. No dam was required. Dam sites for hydropower plants are limited both by available rivers and by competing uses for those rivers, such as recreation, tourism, industry, and human settlements. Because of such limitations, water power could never generate all the electricity used in the United States. In addition, environmental impacts are considered when locating dams. While all hydroelectric dams have some environmental impact, the impacts vary widely, and current regulations and policies attempt to address environmental concerns. A dam may either create a reservoir or may be a run-of-river project that does not store large amounts of water but simply takes advantage of a river's natural flow. Fish ladder. A dam that creates a reservoir may flood a large area upstream, and can change flow patterns and impact flooding downstream with resulting environmental consequences, either positive or negative. Fish migration, which has long been a concern associated with dams, is often addressed with fish ladders and other structures to ensure the successful movement of fish both upstream and downstream. In addition to power, dams often provide other benefits such as recreation opportunities on upstream reservoirs, habitat for a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial species, diversion of water for irrigation, and control of destructive flooding and environmental damage downstream. Hydropower is one of the least expensive sources of electricity and areas with good sources of hydropower tend to attract industries with large needs for electricity. Major hydroelectric dams in the United States are found in the Northwest, the Tennessee Valley, and on the Colorado River. Click image for larger view. Existing hydroelectric plants (yellow) and potential high head/low power energy sites (orange) in the conterminous United States. Purple represents areas excluded from hydropower development due to Federal statutes and policies.  back to top Wind Power Turbines at Martinsdale Hutterite Colony. For hundreds of years, humans have used wind to pump water or grind grain, usually with small windmills. Large, modern wind turbines are used to generate electricity, either for individual use or for contribution to a utility power grid. Wind turbines usually have two or three blades and, because winds above the ground tend to be faster and less turbulent than those near the surface, the turbines are mounted on tall towers to capture the most energy. As the blades turn, the central shaft spins a generator to make electricity. In recent years, wind has become an increasingly attractive source of renewable energy – wind energy is the world's fastest-growing energy technology. Wind turbines placed at sites with strong, steady winds can economically generate electricity without producing pollutants. The power in wind increases rapidly with its speed, which means that locating windmills in areas of strong winds is critical. The strongest winds in the United States tend to be in Alaska, the western United States, and the Appalachians. Wind power currently supplies about 1% of United States electricity needs, but capacity is expanding rapidly. Although wind will contribute more to the United States electric supply in the future, like hydropower it cannot be expected to supply all of our electric needs. United States wind resource map. While wind power helps the environment by producing electricity without producing pollution, there can be negative environmental impacts of wind power generation, including wildlife deaths. However, recent studies suggest that the number of birds and bats killed by collision with wind turbines is far lower than the number killed by collisions with other tall structures such as buildings. Appropriate siting of wind farms and individual turbines can reduce the impact on wildlife. Noise, which was a problem with older turbine designs, has mostly been eliminated through improved engineering. back to top Solar Power Annual average daily solar radiation per month, using a flat-plate collector facing south at a fixed tilt equal to the latitude of the site. Capturing the maximum amount of solar radiation throughout the year can be achieved using a tilt angle approximately equal to the site's latitude. Solar technologies use the sun's energy to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, businesses, and industry. Despite sunlight's significant potential for supplying energy, solar power provides less than 1% of U.S. energy needs. This percentage is expected to increase with the development of new and more efficient solar technologies. Different types of solar collectors are used to meet different energy needs. Passive solar building designs capture the sun's heat to provide space heating and light. Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly to electricity. Concentrating solar power systems focus sunlight with mirrors to create a high-intensity heat source, which then produces steam or mechanical power to run a generator that creates electricity. Flat-plate collectors absorb the sun's heat directly into water or other fluids to provide hot water or space heating. And solar process heating and cooling systems use specialized solar collectors and chemical processes to meet large-scale hot water and heating and cooling needs. Solar technologies produce few negative environmental impacts during collector operation. However, there are environmental concerns associated with the production of collectors and storage devices. In addition, cost is a great drawback to solar power. Although sunlight is free, solar cells and the equipment needed to convert their direct-current output to alternating current for use in a house is expensive. Electricity generated by solar cells is still more than twice as expensive as electricity from fossil fuels. Part of the problem with cost is that solar cells can only operate during daylight hours. In contrast, a coal or natural gas plant can run around the clock, which means the cost for building the plant can be spread over many more hours of use. The parabolic troughs that make up this concentrating solar power system generate power from the sun on a large scale in California. Around the United States, available sunlight varies considerably as a result of differences in cloud cover and latitude, and also varies with the seasons. In the summer, longer daylight hours and a higher sun angle provide more solar power, compared to the winter when the sun is up for fewer hours and at a lower position in the sky. These variations must be taken into consideration when planning solar collection facilities. back to top Geothermal Power Geothermal power plant at The Geysers, California. Geothermal power uses the natural sources of heat inside the Earth to produce heat or electricity. Currently, most geothermal power is generated using steam or hot water from underground. Geothermal power generation produces few emissions and the power source is continuously available. There are three geothermal technologies currently in use in the United States: direct-use systems, use of deep reservoirs to generate electricity, and geothermal heat pumps. In direct-use geothermal systems, a well is drilled into a geothermal reservoir to provide a steady stream of hot water. The water is brought up through the well, and a mechanical system—piping, a heat exchanger, and controls—delivers the heat directly for its intended use. A disposal system then either injects the cooled water underground or disposes of it in a surface storage pond. Geothermal hot water is used for heating buildings, raising plants in greenhouses, drying crops, heating water for fish farms, or for industrial processes, at hundreds of sites around the country. Geothermal reservoirs appropriate for direct-use systems are widespread throughout the western United States. Geothermal power plants convert hydrothermal fluids (hot water or steam) to electricity. The oldest type of geothermal power plant uses steam, accessed through deep wells, to directly drive a turbine to produce electricity. Flash steam plants are the most common type of geothermal power plants in operation today. They use extremely hot water (above 300 degrees F (149 degrees C)), which is pumped under high pressure to the generation equipment at the surface. The hot water is vaporized and the vapor in turn drives turbines to generate electricity. Binary-cycle geothermal power plants use moderate-temperature water (100-300 degrees F (38-149 degrees C)). The water is used to vaporize a second fluid that has a much lower boiling point than water. The vapor from this second fluid is then used to drive the turbines to produce electricity. California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah currently have operating geothermal power plants. Estimated subterranean temperatures at a depth of 6 kilometers. Geothermal heat pumps are used for space heating and cooling as well as water heating, for residential and commercial applications. The technology relies on the fact that beneath the surface, the Earth remains at a relatively constant temperature throughout the year, warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler in the summer. A geothermal heat pump takes advantage of this by transferring heat, stored in the ground, into a building during the winter, and transferring it out of the building and back into the ground during the summer. The heat pump consists of a series of pipes, buried in the ground near a building to be conditioned or where water is to be heated. Fluid is circulated through the pipes to either absorb heat from the ground or distribute heat to the ground. Geothermal heat pumps can be used in most areas of the United States. While geothermal energy use is efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, it currently meets less than 1% of U.S. power needs. back to top Biomass Power McNeil Generating Station, Burlington, Vermont, the country's only utility-owned and operated wood-fired power plant. Biomass power is power obtained from the energy in plants and plant-derived materials, such as food crops, grassy and woody plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes. Biomass power provides two valuable services: it is the second most important source of renewable energy in the United States and it is an important part of our waste management infrastructure. In the future, farms cultivating high-yielding energy crops (such as trees and grasses) will significantly expand our supply of biomass. These energy crops, coupled with high-efficiency conversion technologies, can supplement our consumption of fossil fuels and help us respond to global climate change concerns. Wood has been used for energy longer than any other biomass source and today is still the largest biomass energy resource. The largest source of energy from wood is pulping liquor or "black liquor," a waste product from processes of the pulp, paper, and paperboard industry. Biomass energy can also be derived from waste and from alcohol fuels. Waste energy is the second-largest source of biomass energy. The main contributors of waste energy are municipal solid waste, manufacturing waste, and landfill gas. Biomass can be used for direct heating (such as burning wood in a fireplace or wood stove), for generating electricity, or can be converted directly into liquid fuels to meet transportation energy needs. Truck unloading wood chips that will fuel the Tracy Biomas Plant, Tracy, California. Electricity generated from biomass is also called biopower. Biopower facilities use many different technologies; the most common is burning of wood or other biomass feedstocks to produce steam which then is used to drive turbines and produce electricity. Some generators use a mix of biomass and fossil fuels to generate electricity, while others burn methane, a product of the natural decay of organic materials. In the United States, the pulp and paper industries are major producers of biopower, using residues from paper production to produce electricity for industrial plant use. Biomass power is close to a carbon-neutral electric power generation option — biomass absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during its growth and then emits an equal amount of carbon dioxide when it is processed to generate electricity. Thus, biomass fuels "recycle" atmospheric carbon, and may reduce global warming impacts. Biopower facilities produce fewer other pollutants than equivalent fossil fuel power facilities. Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from plants. The two most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is an alcohol, the same as in beer and wine. It is made by fermenting any biomass high in carbohydrates through a process similar to beer brewing. The majority of ethanol produced in the United States is made from corn. Current research is exploring ways to efficiently convert cellulose (agricultural waste, forest residue, municipal solid waste, and energy crops) to ethanol. Ethanol is mostly used as a fuel additive for vehicles to increase octane and cut down carbon monoxide and other smog-causing emissions. Biodiesel is made by processing vegetable oil, animal fat, or recycled cooking grease with alcohol or other chemicals. It can be used as an additive (typically 20%) to reduce vehicle emissions or in its pure form as a renewable alternative fuel for diesel engines. Biomass and biofuels resource potential in the conterminous United States. Because biomass power is produced from plant sources, it can potentially be produced almost anywhere in the United States. While biomass is a renewable energy resource, it can have both negative and positive environmental impacts. It may reduce emissions and pollutants, but factory farming of biomass crops can reduce biodiversity and negatively impact wildlife habitat. Municipal solid waste may contain toxins which could cause pollution if it is used as a biomass feedstock. As with other renewable resources, use of appropriate technology will promote the most positive environmental impacts. back to top