Renewable energy resources – solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass – could potentially offer local, sustainable sources of electrical power in the U.S. Tapping into these resources requires new technologies, some of which are still in development. One issue facing the renewable-energy field is determining when the technologies that convert these resources into power can be ready for large-scale use, and estimating what it will take to get there.

A new report from the National Research Council, Electricity From Renewable Resources: Status, Prospects, and Impediments, evaluates renewable energy technologies along three time-frames: those that could be commercially deployed within the next 10 years, those that could be deployed within 10 to 25 years, and technologies that will likely take more than 25 years to be ready for the commercial market. For each technology, the report discusses cost, performance, environmental impact, and barriers to deployment. The report also makes recommendations for research and development investments.