The alliance known as 25X’25 has just completed a study that outlines the positive impact producing 25 percent of the nation’s energy supply from renewable sources by 2025 could have on rural America.

According to J. Read Smith, co-chair of the 25x’25 Project Steering Committee, “Not only would reaching the goal drastically reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, it would also have an extremely favorable impact on rural America and the nation as a whole. This report says we could see more than $700 billion in economic activity and 5.1 million new jobs.”

The economic analysis was conducted by researchers at the University of Tennessee addressing two different scenerios:

The impacts of producing 25 percent of the nation’s electric power and motor vehicle fuels from renewable resources, utilizing findings from a new RAND report, and

A second scenario which outlines how agriculture and forestry resources could produce 25 percent of the nation’s total energy demands.

The press release from 25x’25 includes links to the full report and summary findings.

Here is an interview with J. Read Smith on the study and the goals of 25x’25: 25×25 (6 min MP3)