Wind Power May Slash C02 Output 35% in 12 Years

According to a government study, wind could provide up to 20 percent of US power by 2030, reports Wired. This would cut CO2 output in this country by 35 percent (since it replaces coal burning and natural gas) and water consumption by 4 trillion gallons.

It won't be free. The Department of Energy study projects costs at $6 per person to build new wind turbines and the infrastructure needed to make this work.

The problem with wind is its inconsistency. According to Wired, "four gigawatts of wind power isn't the same as four gigawatts of coal because the wind isn't always blowing, reducing average watt ouput."