Often times the National Journal’s Energy and Environment blog host forums for experts to post their opinions on topics making the news as of late. Bill Meadows, The Wilderness Society’s President, appreciates these opportunities to engage with others. This week he joined the conversation being hosted by reporter Amy Harder about renewable energy.

Unlike conventional energy production, we don't have to raze mountaintops or drill into our national wildlife refuges to access energy provided by the sun. Huge swaths of the Southwest receive enough sun to power utility-scale solar energy projects. Not only does solar energy not run out: it also runs wide.

In fact, in the Southwestern United States alone, the sun provides enough energy to power our country 6 times over!