Alternative Energy on a Larger Scale
When it comes to renewable fuel sources the Germans have become one of the major players in the alternative energy game. With their nation’s electricity feed laws, the German government set a world record in 2006 by investing over $10 billion (US) in alternative energy research, development, and implementation. This included investment in wind turbines, biogas power plants, and solar collection cells. Germany’s electricity feed laws permit the German homeowners to connect to an electrical grid with some source of renewable energy they are generating. 
They then can sell back to the power company any excess energy produced at retail prices. (This is now available in parts of Canada, Us and other countries.) This economic incentive has moved Germany into the number-one position among all nations when it come to the number of operational solar arrays, biogas plants, and wind turbines. There was/is 50-terawatt hours of electricity produced by these renewable energy sources. This amounts to 10% of all of Germany’s energy production per year. In 2006 alone, Germany installed 100,000 solar energy collection systems.
In the US there are also moves towards finding and using alternative energy. One such initiative is by the BP Corporation. It has established an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) located at the University of Illinois, to establish extensive new research and development efforts into clean burning renewable energy sources. 
Most prominently this means biofuels for cars and trucks. Their investment will be $50 million (US) per year over the next decade. The University has established a partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for research and development of new biofuel crops. They will also be researching the biofuel-delivering agricultural systems, and machines that will produce renewable fuels in liquid form for automobile consumption. The University will specifically concentrate on efforts in the field of genetic engineering related to creating the more advanced biofuel crops. This institute will also focus on technological innovations for converting heavy hydrocarbons into pollution-free and highly efficient fuels.
There is also a battle raging in the US, between Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) on geothermal energy, its potential, and the role of federal research. The GEA’s concern is Congress’ irrational insistence on terminating the geothermal research program. The GEA says that recent studies by the National Research Council, the Western Governors’ Association Clean Energy Task Force and the Massachusetts 
Institute of Technology all support expanding geothermal research funding. This is necessary in order to develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast, untapped domestic renewable energy resource. Supporters of geothermal energy are amazed at the small amount of awareness people have about the huge benefits this research could have to the US, both practically and economically. Did you know that geothermal energy is already less expensive to produce in terms of kilowatt-hours than the coal that the US keeps mining? Geothermal energy is readily available, sitting just a few miles below our feet and is easily accessible through drilling. Some companies are already producing geothermal energy in the US and around the world. Geothermal energy is certainly economically viable and is already a billion dollar per year business.
It is important that we support these alternative energy sources whenever and however possible.
Wind Power as a Viable Alternative Energy Source
Almost every home is hooked into the local electric company’s grid and that is a lot less expensive initially than to set up and hook into wind turbines. In the long run though utilizing the wind for your energy needs will save you money. It also allows you to become more independent of the big electric companies.
While electric bills and fuel bills are constantly rising, the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises. The cost of wind turbines is decreasing because the various companies producing the turbines are enjoying more commercial success and their research is making the turbines more and more efficient. People are motivated to get away from the traditional energy sources and turn to wind power for their energy for several reasons.
- The cost of energy generated by a wind turbine is zero.
- For personal reasons including desire for greater independence.
- The desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”.
- Political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids,
- Concerns about the environment.
As people move in this direction it gives more businesses opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers.
In more than half the states and many of the provinces in Canada at this time, homeowners who remain on the grid but who also choose to use alternative forms of energy are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from their governments. These breaks and rebates can end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs. In addition, there are as many or more states and provinces that allow these homeowners to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates. This means that the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.
A push is on to get the federal governments to mandate these breaks and incentives in all states and provinces. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, many times these laws are handled regionally by state or provincial law which makes them a little more difficult to implement. There is also some resistance from power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals. They think they should only have to pay the wholesale rate for this electricity. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms which is really quality power that strengthens the grid.
Having a reduced electric bill or none at all while enjoying the advantages of the modern lifestyle is a really great feeling.