Energy, Environment, and Sustainable Industry in the Appalachian Mountains, United States

Abstract

In July 1979, the world's largest wind turbine was dedicated on Howard's Knob, a mountain overlooking Boone, North Carolina. NASA and the Department of Energy's selection of this site confirmed the wind resource, and the windmill's striking presence above town sparked a great deal of imagination. But a newly elected President Reagan removed solar panels from the White House, and along with them went public investment in renewable energy. Nearly 3 decades later the converging threats of peak oil and global warming are compelling reasons to reconsider the wind in Appalachia. Howard's Knob is a poignant reminder of a comparative advantage that could spawn vital new industries and sustainable livelihoods. Appalachia's coal and timber helped to underwrite America's 20th century growth, but the process left a legacy of poverty and environmental destruction. Most recently, free trade agreements have sparked a wave of unemployment prompting citizens, business, and local government to look for a better way forward.

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