This artifact is an analysis of utility use by the city of Aspen Colorado and how they became one of the very few US cities to use solely renewable energy. This is important because it shows a successful example of a city in the US where the infrastructure has seamlessly transitioned to renewable sources. While there are not a crazy amount of residents Aspen is a tourist destination which creates a different dynamic compared to a regular area but still shows that the numbers can be accounted for and they rarely need to supplement their energy sources. In Aspen their renewable sources come from solar, geothermal, with the main sources of hydroelectric which accounts for 46% and wind the other 53%. The crucial part about obtaining renewable energy in Aspen and anywhere is simply using what is around the area and working together. It would be near impossible to create all of the communities needed in the community because there is not enough area or usable sources in the majority of cases. Which is why Aspen gets its wind energy from Nebraska a few hundred miles away because it is much flatter there and they get a lot more wind traffic. As well as the majority of their hydroelectric coming from a dam a few miles outside the city. They have to rely on the areas that are naturally creating this energy which makes sense and should be utilized in more places. This relates to my project because it shows a place which cannot create a lot of renewable energy itself but still achieves sustainability by utilizing the areas around it. Realizing the potential of certain areas and tapping into the energy naturally created can be distributed to the more densely populated areas which can create reliability behind renewable sources. It really is about working together and trying to figure out what works best where and replicating it into similar situations. The reality behind Aspen's energy situation paves a way into renewable energy which can be scary for some.
Utilities City of Aspen, "Aspen's Path to 100% Renewable Energy ", contributed by Logan Young, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 24 May 2020, accessed 19 April 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/aspens-path-100-renewable-energy
Critical Commentary
This artifact is an analysis of utility use by the city of Aspen Colorado and how they became one of the very few US cities to use solely renewable energy. This is important because it shows a successful example of a city in the US where the infrastructure has seamlessly transitioned to renewable sources. While there are not a crazy amount of residents Aspen is a tourist destination which creates a different dynamic compared to a regular area but still shows that the numbers can be accounted for and they rarely need to supplement their energy sources. In Aspen their renewable sources come from solar, geothermal, with the main sources of hydroelectric which accounts for 46% and wind the other 53%. The crucial part about obtaining renewable energy in Aspen and anywhere is simply using what is around the area and working together. It would be near impossible to create all of the communities needed in the community because there is not enough area or usable sources in the majority of cases. Which is why Aspen gets its wind energy from Nebraska a few hundred miles away because it is much flatter there and they get a lot more wind traffic. As well as the majority of their hydroelectric coming from a dam a few miles outside the city. They have to rely on the areas that are naturally creating this energy which makes sense and should be utilized in more places. This relates to my project because it shows a place which cannot create a lot of renewable energy itself but still achieves sustainability by utilizing the areas around it. Realizing the potential of certain areas and tapping into the energy naturally created can be distributed to the more densely populated areas which can create reliability behind renewable sources. It really is about working together and trying to figure out what works best where and replicating it into similar situations. The reality behind Aspen's energy situation paves a way into renewable energy which can be scary for some.