If you enjoy getting lost in maps, it’s a lot of fun to explore Google Earth. To get started, all you have to do is go to the Google Earth website and download the free program. After it’s installed you can start exploring, or add additional layers. (See the Google Earth Outreach page for options.)

Many of the layers have an environmental theme, and they're all intriguing. Explore the Earth’s oceans! Find fair trade products! Check out the melting polar ice caps!

I looked at a few different layers related to renewable energy, but the one I found most interesting was this Protected Areas and Energy Development Map, which was developed by Audubon and the National Resources Defense Council. It’s a map of 13 Western states, which plots significant wildlife areas in an effort to avoid conflicts with energy development.

On a similar theme, the EPA has a Google Earth layer called the Renewable Energy Interactive Mapping Tool that shows former mining sites and brownfields, where renewable energy development would be welcome. I admit, I found this layer a little more difficult to use, although it's still interesting. Take a look!

New York Gov. David Paterson recently announced a plan to increase the state’s use of solar power.  Paterson wants the state to install up to 100 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power systems at public and private facilities such as schools and municipal and commercial buildings. According to the New York Power Authority, 100 megawatts could power approximately 15,000 homes.  

The initiative is part of New York’s 45-By-15 energy plan, which aims to have the state running on 45 percent efficient and clean renewable energy sources by 2015. Here’s a link for more information on New York’s energy initiatives.

Also, find out what other states have similar plans to move toward using renewable energy sources.

Did you know that waves, tides and currents can be sources of energy?

It's called hydrokinetics, and several new projects are beginning to harness more of this energy. Tidal turbines resemble wind turbines. One big difference, though, is that tides are much more predictable than wind. The Electric Power Research Institute says tidal power can produce electricity at competitive prices similar to wind power. To learn more about how tidal turbines work click here and here.

One tidal power system is located near New York City's Roosevelt Island. Verdant Power is using these six turbines to study how they affect marine ecosystems. They will observe how many fish swim into the strong currents near the turbines for 18 months before proceeding with even bigger plans, which include installing up to 100 turbines in the East River with a new, easier to mass-produce turbine.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has scouted out the best locations in the United States and 25 sites have preliminary permits for tidal turbine farms with another 31 sites for consideration. The San Francisco Bay is another location where studies are being conducted to determine the efficiency of tidal power.

Other areas of the world have installed several tidal farms in the last several years. Devon, England boasts a 300 kilowatt turbine and the Bay of Fundy and British Columbia are proposed sites for a one and two megawatt system, respectively.

Portugal has the world's first commercial wave farm. It's launch is scheduled for the beginning of this  month. The farm consists of three snake-like tubes that are slightly submerged but facing the waves. Each tube can produce 750 kilowatts, which means over two megawatts total. To learn how wave farms work, click here.

A lot of the action on renewable energy is taking place at the state level, so on Wednesday I was happy to be able to attend a state conference to learn more about projects being developed close to home.

I was at the 2007 Kansas Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Conference, along with about 500 other participants, and we heard a lot about wind power, because like many other Midwestern states, Kansas has a lot of wind energy potential. Many speakers discussed new wind farms in development nearby, as well as the necessary steps to bring more wind power into the state in the future: notably, upgrades to transmission lines. But one of the most interesting panels I listened to discussed the use of wind energy in schools. I'd heard before that schools are a great place to put up wind turbines. One attraction is that teachers can use the real-time data from wind turbines on school grounds to teach renewable energy concepts in their science classrooms. But I was surprised to learn that many schools are investing in wind power for a much simpler reason: It saves them money. For many schools, putting up a wind turbine or two on school grounds is the equivalent of buying 20 years of electricity up front, at a guaranteed low price.

I've heard similar arguments before, and it makes a lot of sense. Schools and other public institutions are often able to justify long-term investments that for-profit businesses can't. They can make energy improvements that don't start to pay off for 5, 10 or even 20 years, and it's still a good investment because it saves taxpayers money in the long run. The speaker I heard was from a school district in Shallowater, Texas, but this idea is catching on quickly, check out this list of other schools installing wind turbines.

Wind energy is a hot topic in Kansas, but we're certainly not alone. Many states have significant wind energy resources.  Want to find out more about what's happening with wind energy in other states? Check out these handy resources.