Assignment: City Energy Planning Proposal
You have been hired as a city planner to help develop a new energy plan for a growing metropolitan area. Consider all available energy options and determine the best way to spend the initial budget. You can choose more than one option to address the city's energy needs. Be careful to remember this system will need to support the city as the population grows.
Your initial first-year budget: $10 billion
Budget for every following year: $1 billion
Energy needed to power the metropolitan area: 3,000 megawatts
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Energy Source
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Initial Cost to Set up Energy Production
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Monthly Cost
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Energy Output Limit
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Nuclear Plant
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$6 billion
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$1.5 million
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1,000 megawatts
|
|
Coal-Fired Power Plant
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$1.3 billion
|
$2 million
|
1,000 megawatts
|
|
Wind Power
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$3 billion
|
$500,000
|
1,000 megawatts
|
|
Geothermal
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$3 billion
|
$500,000
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1,000 megawatts
|
|
Hydroelectric
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$350 million
|
$500,000
|
1,000 megawatts
|
|
Solar Power
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$3.5 billion
|
$300,000
|
1,000 megawatts
|
|
Natural Gas
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$1.5 billion
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$1,000,000
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1,000 megawatts
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Write at least a proposal of at least 700 words.
Include the following:
• An explanation of issues associated with an increasing population, including those related to the environment and quality of life
• A breakdown of the energy resources your city will use to meet current and future needs
o Explain why you chose these resources.
o Include a chart detailing your budget breakdown used to determine your energy proposal.
• The advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy sources to your city and the environment
• Ethical issues that might be associated with your proposed energy sources
• An explanation about why cities might choose to continue to develop fossil-fuel-based energy options, rather than more green options.
• The effect population growth will have on your energy plan over the next 20 years. What can be done to assist the city as its population grows?
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.