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Purpose
Utilizing state-of-the-art GIS technology, the Atlas brings together the best existing renewable resource maps and data into a single comprehensive, publicly available document and interactive Web site. It does not provide a new regional assessment of renewable resources, but rather shows the current understanding of these resources throughout the West and highlights the issues affecting their development. In addition, it identifies areas where new data are needed in order to more accurately represent the region's renewable energy resources.
While the maps contained in this Atlas do not eliminate the need for on-site resource measurement, they can help developers gain a better understanding of where the best renewable resource areas are found and screen out the less promising areas. This can significantly minimize the cost and time involved in prospecting. Landowners can use the information for a first-cut feasibility analysis of using renewable resources to supply electrical power to their homes, farms, ranches and businesses, while policymakers will find it a useful tool for broader planning purposes.
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