Renewable Fuels for Alternative Energy
The Germans have really taken off when it comes to
renewable fuel sources, and have become one of the major players in the
alternative energy game. Under the aegis of the nation's electricity
feed laws, the German people set a world record in 2006 by investing
over $10 billion (US) in research, development, and implementation of
wind turbines, biogas power plants, and solar collection cells.
Germany's “feed laws” permit the German homeowners to connect to an
electrical grid through some source of renewable energy and then sell
back to the power company any excess energy produced at retail prices.
This economic incentive has catapulted Germany into the number-one
position among all nations with regards to the number of operational
solar arrays, biogas plants, and wind turbines. The 50-terawatt hours of
electricity produced by these renewable energy sources account for 10%
of all of Germany's energy production per year. In 2006 alone, Germany
installed 100,000 solar energy collection systems.
Over in the US, the BP corporation has established an Energy Biosciences
Institute (EBI) to spearhead extensive new research and development
efforts into clean burning renewable energy sources, most prominently
biofuels for ground vehicles. BP's investment comes to $50 million (US)
per year over the course of the next decade. This EBI will be physically
located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University
is in partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for research and
development of new biofuel crops, biofuel-delivering agricultural
systems, and machines to produce renewable fuels in liquid form for
automobile consumption. The University will especially spearhead efforts
in the field of genetic engineering with regard to creating the more
advanced biofuel crops. The EBI will additionally have as a major focal
point technological innovations for converting heavy hydrocarbons into
pollution-free and highly efficient fuels.
Also in the US, the battle rages on between Congress and the Geothermal
Energy Association (GEA). The GEA's Executive Director Karl Gawell has
recently written to the Congress and the Department of Energy, the only
way to ensure that DOE and OMB do not simply revert to their irrational
insistence on terminating the geothermal research program is to schedule
a congressional hearing specifically on geothermal energy, its
potential, and the role of federal research. Furthermore, Gawell goes on
to say 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 to develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast,
untapped domestic renewable energy resource. Supporters of geothermal
energy, such as this writer, are amazed at the minuscule amount of
awareness that the public has about the huge benefits that research and
development of the renewable alternative energy source would provide the
US, both practically and economically. 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 easily accessible through drilling. One
company, Ormat, which is the third largest geothermal energy producer in
the US and has plants in several different nations, is already a
billion-dollar-per-year business—geothermal energy is certainly
economically viable.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters, portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop online at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
Iapsales.com LLC was established in 2003 and is the sister company to
Innovative Air Products located in historical Exeter, NH. We are a 2nd
generation manufacturers’ rep firm dedicated to providing residential &
commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. We offer
a great selection online at the lowest prices anywhere. We can also be
found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube