The electricity you use to power your home is most likely generated by burning coal, with some nuclear and natural gas-fueled current in the mix for good measure. However, that could all be changing, and faster than anyone expected. While renewable fuel sources like solar and wind power make up only a small part of the nation's electrical grid today, wind could actually be the leading source of electricity in little more than three decades.

Viable and Competitive

Wind could surpass other sources and provide as much as a third of the United States’ electricity by 2050, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind and Water Power Technologies office. Wind currently weighs in at only 4.5 percent of the supply, but if projections hold, that will increase to 10 percent by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030.

“The wind industry can be characterized by the substantial growth of domestic manufacturing and the level of wind deployment seen in recent years,” José Zayas, director of the DOE Wind and Water Power Technologies office, said to EcoWatch. “Wind power systems are now seen as a viable and competitive source of electricity across the nation. Wind power’s emerging role is an important option in a portfolio of new energy solutions for future generations.”

Benefits to Public Health, Environment

Should the prediction of wind's dominance come to pass, it would have numerous benefits for the environment and for consumers. Even at current levels, wind has reduced water consumption by 36.5 billion gallons and carbon emissions by 115,000,000 metric tons compared to traditional power sources, according to the government.

That means a lot less carbon getting released into the atmosphere, helping to slow our contribution to climate change. Plus, once the infrastructure is built, wind is free to harvest, and doesn't have the same environmental tradeoffs as coal and natural gas. The benefits “can address key societal challenges such as climate change, air quality and public health, and water scarcity,” the report said.

Uncertainties Looming

The rosy projection is just that. There are numerous uncertainties that could affect how well wind power actually does in the future, including government policies to incentivize wind or decentivize coal usage, the supply and price of natural gas, and the demand for electricity overall in the United States.

The technology around wind generation will have to hold its own as well. Growth in market share depends on continued advances in efficiency, more transmission capacity and better weather forecasting so we can best take advantage of favorable gusts.

Global Optimism

Should the growth of wind continue as predicted, there could be hope for a cleaner, healthier future. And what's good for the United States can be good for the rest of the world as well.

“The global energy market of the future is poised to be the largest market the world has ever known,” Secretary of State John Kerry said in a speech about wind power. “Pursuing cleaner, more efficient energy is actually the only way that nations around the world can build the kind of economies that are going to thrive for decades to come.

If you’ve never visited the DIY, home renovation blog Young House Love, you’re in for a treat. John and Sherry, bloggers extraordinaire, are renovating their home step-by-step, giving their readers a detailed look into the process. Every day they have some new clever project to write about. (And the way they tell stories gets addictive, quick).

The blog has a ton of posts on home lighting, some technical, some crazy and fun. Today, I thought I’d share with you my 3 favorite DIY lighting projects from Young House Love:

We’ve recently added a new explosion-proof light for use in granaries, paint booths, mills, mines, oil refineries, auto shops, marine vessels, shipyards, and other hazardous locations.

This LED light is listed as UL1598 for wet locations and UL1598A for outdoor marine applications. It is classified as UL844 and meets National Electric Code—NFPA 70, article 500—requirements in the U.S. for Class 1 Division 1 (groups C and D), Class 1 Division 2 (groups A, B, C, and D), and Class 2 Division 2 (groups F and G) hazardous locations. The light fixture meets IECEx Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 requirements for safe operation around combustible gas and dust.

Designed to replace 320-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures with comparable output—the 100-watt LED explosion-proof light emits 13,000 lumens of natural white illumination. This weatherproof LED fixture operates within a 100-277V AC range and is built to last five times longer than MH lights.

The durably constructed light has a vibration-resistant anodized aluminum housing that prevents the release of sparks from internal components. The die cast housing is also powder coated for corrosion resistance and has a removable back plate for access to the constant-current driver, which is sealed with a silicone gasket. LEDs are protected by a tempered glass lens.

A conduit is required for installation, and the fixture has two openings for input and output connections. The LED explosion-proof light can be pole mounted or mounted to a wall, floor, or ceiling with its included bracket. A five-year warranty protects against any manufacturer defects or malfunctions.