Renewable Energy — The Bargain of the Century
As I prepare for what I hope to be a huge spate of radio and television interviews on my book, I keep in mind that there is little I can do from my end to control the questioning and thus the theme that ultimately emerges. In fact, the last interview I did was entirely on electric transportation; we talked about lithium-ion battery chemistries and charging strategies for half an hour, without even touching on the notion of the ultimate source of the power.
Having said that, it’s important for me to know where I’d like to take the discussion if I get the chance. Here’s a central theme that summarizes my thinking on renewables at this point:
Renewable energy is the bargain of the century.
Of course, it depends on who’s doing the accounting, and how he’s doing it. If you put blinders on your accountant, and focus him only on the cost – after huge taxpayer subsidies — of getting fossil fuels imported, refined and distributed to their point of use, then you’re going to have a wait another couple of years for energy sources like wind to achieve “grid parity” (i.e., cost equivalence to oil and coal). But suppose your accountant has an appreciation for the health and safety of the population, the quality of the skies and oceans, the nature of the energy picture a few decades from now when the Earth’s population reaches 10 billion, and the opportunity for all the world’s people to live in peace and prosperity.
In that case, clean energy is not only cheap – it’s the game in town.
That’s why we’re all here, folks — to remind the world of this simplicity.
regarding your 3brass tacks alternative energy adoption difficulties…
You mentioned the uneven playing field which is definitely a hurdle slowing the growth of most of the alternatives.
The thing you didn’t mention is the radical environmentalists that are anti development.
The offshore windturbines that impede the ocean view from the Kennedy compound, the desert tortise that is threatened by solar panels, river bed benthic disturbance by any kind of technology…. and on and on.
Some, maybe many environmentalists are not interested in replacing coal and nuclear with alternative energy at all. They want to shut down large scale production and return to a simpler way of life. Everyone cannot live off of the land. Most of us are doomed to live in large cities with lots of infrastructure, We do not have a united front as we try to bring a green future home,
I completely agree that radical environmentalists often miss the point, and fail to make important and obvious compromises — effectively shooting the their own movement in the foot. In fact, there is a good discussion of this in my book — notably the chapters on wind energy with representatives of Clipper Windpower and the Audubon Society.
The implementation of altrernative energy In Southern Africa is being hampered by goverment who insist on compliance and who are the sole provider of electricity.
One is not allowed to sell and create power without their permission.
The unemployment situation could be improved if there was less red tape in devloping private power producers.
As a supplier of alternative energy solutions I have found much resistance in private business adopting these practices as they
1 Don’t have the capital investment
2 There are no tax breaks for implementation
3 The ROI is long term and business thinks short term.
Will Gubb
Africa Representitive for CNB energy engineering
Most people understand and agree the benefits that renewables can bring in long run, but worry about the short-term impacts of its implementation – a potential increased cost on daily living. Any policy in this regard should consider what is the right balance between the two.
http://futurepowersystem.blogspot.com/2010/10/benefits-and-myths-about-renewables.html