America’s Untapped Sources

Figure 1

America’s energy consumption, while has gone down since the early 2000s, is still at an unprecedented height (See Figure 2). In direct comparison to Iceland, we can see how our electric sectors differ greatly. Our electric center, other than our transportation, is one of the most CO2 producing areas we have as a country (See Figure 2). As with Iceland, their electricity sector is virtually non-existent on this scale. 

Figure 2

Figure 3

So what can we do? 

As a global superpower with a massive land mass, we have many viable options in regard to renewable energy. As a country we have so many sources of untapped renewable energy in almost every aspect, solar, wind, geothermal, etc. (S. Olafsson, Personal Communication, April 1, 2024; see also Figure 4). Looking at figure 1, we can see the “Ring of Fire,” which other than being a Johnny Cash song, is an area of the world that is characterized by extreme amounts of heat reservoirs (Duffield & Sass, 2003). These reservoirs can then be used towards geothermal energy production, which demonstrated by figure 4, we see only makes up 0.4% of total U.S energy production. If we were to utilize the U.S.’s entire geothermal potential, it could bring that number to 9% of the total countries energy production (Crownhart, 2021). This might not seem like a lot, but when compared to the population, it could serve nearly 30,000,000 people. 

Figure 4

Going by Figure 4 alone, we can see how the United States of America’s energy production is mainly from non-renewable sources of energy. Meaning fossil fuels, coal, petroleum, etc. Under a quarter of all energy is produced using renewable sources, and nuclear power (a completely different concern). It is not enough to ask of “how can I change,” what we need to ask is “how can we make change happen?” Focusing in on geothermal alone, places like California and Oregon live on the “Ring of Fire” (Duffield & Sass, 2003). While this is entirely focused on one half of the country, there is great potential for economic gain and cost-effectiveness (Duffield & Sass, 2003). Contributing to affordability and energy access, this could potentially lower the cost of living in places like Los Angeles, where the housing crisis gets worse day by day (Duffield & Sass, 2003). 

Other Countries

Energy Democracy

Iceland is a pioneer for Energy Democracy, which is the ideal of a “fossil-fuel free future” where local people’s energy needs are supported by renewable energy and removing the stems of inequity (Stephens, 2020). Iceland has not fully become fossil-free, but with their energy they have come close to this idea of bringing the sustainable options to the people rather than the people having to find their own ways of doing so. America as a country is focused on Climate Isolationism, or the lens that we should be prioritizing profit, control and economic domination (Stephens, 2020). 

What it takes to catch up to Iceland does not mean only switching our energy creation, it also means to change our world view. Stephens (2020) proposes the three R’s of moving away from Climate Isolationism: resisting, reclaiming and restructuring.  In America, we have, as Stephens (2020) points out, a “legacy” of energy and economic oppression. We do not resist fossil fuels, our focus is on purely economic gain, which then does not lead to reconstruction, but instead just maintaining energy systems. 

The United States could learn from Iceland’s and Stephens (2020) model. However, the United States, which is not considered underdeveloped by any means, could also learn from currently developing counties who may lack from modern energy production. This may seem counterproductive, but these countries, like Uganda, are starting from ground zero and could benefit from skipping fossil fuels all together. As mentioned in Malin and Kallman (2022), the Vash Green Schools Project aims to install energy systems in schools in places like Uganda. While this may not seem like they are following Iceland’s model, we can see that they are utilizing resources that they have, which is sunlight. Focusing in on “one planet living,” can see how small scale energy that does not have an impact on the environment focuses on resisting, reclaiming and restructuring (Stephens, 2020; Malin & Kallman, 2022). By resisting a current dominate model of fossil fuels, we reclaim equity and economic power to the people which restructures power systems before they are settled into the United States model of energy, and instead utilizes a person first ideology. Which we as a first world country should look onto and see our shortcomings. 

See Works Cited post on the side panel for all references used.