Goat Farming or Renewable Energy: Obama’s Energy Plans for 2009
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Boy! If I had a nickle for every time I pondered whether I should go into goat farming or renewable energy, I’d have … one nickle more than I do now. Why ponder such a thing? Good question. The dilemma was raised by a gentleman named Jim on Renewable Energy World. He put this question to the site’s editors:
I have not seen an analysis of what President Obama really plans to do for renewable energy. I would like to know. I had hoped to work on one renewable energy project before I retired to goat farming. So far it looks like goat farming will get here first. How much does he plan to put on the table and in what time frame? I am particularly interested in solar.
– Jim T., Texas and Arkansas
The good folks at Renewable Energy World were good enough to provide Jim with such a detailed answer that I thought it deserved some attention here. I’ve posted an excerpt below. Please go read the full article. But before you do that…ponder this: Why choose betwen renewable energy AND goat farming when the installation of a methane digester will let you have both!
Jim, Do not go to the goat farm yet — the world is changing right before our very eyes! Clean energy continues to be a major focus of President Obama and was mentioned in the President’s message before a joint session of Congress in late February. Ken Bossong of the Sustainable Energy Coalition captured these three quotes:
….”We have known for decades that our survival depends on finding new sources of energy, yet we import more oil today than ever before.
….Over the next two years, this [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90 percent of these jobs will be in the private sector, jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges, constructing wind turbines and solar panels, laying broadband and expanding mass transit.
….That is why, even as it cuts back on programs we don’t need, the [Fiscal Year 2010] budget I submit will invest in the three areas that are absolutely critical to our economic future: energy, health care and education.”
[…]
Department of Energy: $27 billion, $2.5 billion above 2008 to build on efforts in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Package to conserve and produce clean, efficient, American energy. Specifically:
- Solar Energy: $175 million for research, development and demonstration projects to make solar energy more affordable.
- Biofuels: $217 million for grants to improve production of alternative fuels such as cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel.
- Vehicle Technology: $273 million to collaborate with industry to improve fuel efficiency with better
batteries and engines that burn clean fuel.- Energy Efficient Buildings: $140 million to research conservation technologies for buildings and industry to reduce energy demand.
- Industrial Technologies: $90 million to help businesses improve energy efficiency.
- Water Power: $40 million to research new ways of generating power from flowing water.
- Weatherization Grants: $200 million for insulation and energy conservation measures to reduce utility bills for low-income families.
- Innovative Technology Loan Guarantees: Extends loan guarantee authority for Innovative Technology, and includes $18.5 billion in loans for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
July 24th, 2009 at 5:04 am
There is increasing concern that governments are allowing companies to reduce the price paid to producers of exported renewable energy. Large banks and organizations dominate the large scale markets of renewable energy generation that have up till now made significant profits in the current climate.
The price of energy doesn´t seem to get cheaper – clearly the changes must be made within each of us and adopt our own renewable energy generating capabilities and reduce our demand on expensive, fluctuating imported energy.
Verdegía in Spain have a solution, Solar Engine Systems that generate plenty of green energy. If we ourselves, government and councils adopted this type of new technology then we could all very quickly change the effects of our demand on fossil fuels. - The Solar Engine Systems supplied from Verdegía boast 39kW/h and operate 24/7. That´s enough energy for 12 or more homes! And, they only take up the space of a single 200W PV panel.
A major cost in renewable energy farms is the infrastructure, land and high capital investment, producing electricity locally within a distributed network is the most cost effective. It’s time to move away from large expensive solar farms and into the next generation of high performance renewable energy generators that effectively create a solar farm within one panel and at a 100th of the cost. This technology will allow us to turn vacant city rooftops into a hive of renewable generators that will not only feed our cities but will provide energy independence.
Imagine a future where electricity was FREE and in public places you could just plug in and know that the energy being consumed has come from 100% renewable sources.