Tag Archive for Clean Energy

Poll : Long Islanders Back Renewable Energy

The results of a recent Sierra Club Poll are in:

Long Island is ready for renewable energy.  

 

Long solar panel array at Point Lookout Clean Energy Park

Looking down the road: A new poll shows the overwhelming majority of Long Islanders want Renewable Energy for their electricity needs.

 

In light of LIPA’s looming (and hopefully not “dooming”) decisions on what they are going to do about generating our electricity in the future, some important answers emerge about what Long Islanders – LIPA’s customers – think and want.

The questions show an overwhelming majority of Long Islanders, in the 77-90% range depending on the question, are on board with changing over to renewable energy. 

The Poll By the Numbers:

87%- believe New York State should honor it’s commitment to using 30% renewable Energy by 2015 (we’re way behind!)

85% support offshore wind power 12 to 15 miles off the coast of Long Island

78% prefer that New York utilities build new renewable energy infrastructure instead of additional fossil fuel plants

78% think the Cuomo Administration should prioritize clean, renewable energy resources ahead of fossil fuels

79%  the majority want it, even if it costs more-only 16% wouldnt pay more!

89% – say we should meet our renewable energy goals using clean energy from projects built in New York State – (as opposed to “outsourcing” our renewable energy opportunities to another state to develop, deliver and profit from.)

You can find the poll and results for yourself here:

https://docs.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/file/d/0B8V_FuEIYqCVYXNhMXlmZzJEaUU/edit?pli=1

It would seem Long Islanders are ready, we just need to let LIPA and National Grid know they need to move in this direction NOW.

So, what are we waiting for Long Island?  Let’s Do It!

Tell LIPA- We need clean energy.

Today-Several dozen concerned citizens, hosted by The Sierra Club, were literally “calling” on LIPA to invest in clean, renewable energy.

Those calls were to let LIPA know that instead of sticking all of us into long range contracts that will keep Long Island fossil fuel-dependent for many decades to come, they must pursue clean energy.

LIPA is deciding over this week how they are going to replace their old power plants and how they are going to provide the additional power Long Island’s growth is demanding.

Today, The Sierra Club and Community Voices for Clean Energy are calling on all of us to let LIPA know that the only way is ahead to renewables, and not to go back to dirty fossil fuels!

You can make a difference, LIPA is listening!! heres how:

instructions for calling LIPA

instructions for calling LIPA. Let them know you want renewable energy!

Ok, With This, Now I’m Ready For an EV.

The new Sanya Skypump EV charging station.

The new Sanya Skypump EV charging station. Your own energy independence, right in your own driveway?

Oooh, look at that VAWT*, so clean and beautiful, the sleek stylish look of the whole system… I’m going to have to tell the TV and the iPhone… there may be another in my life!

Welcome the Sanya Skypump.
The new “fuel pump” for your EV (electric vehicle).

Vehicles are the last bastion of dirty energy proponents saying : how are you going to move everything that moves our modern world and economy without fossil fuels?!! (funny, my autocorrect corrected “economy” to “ruining”- food for thought)

Maybe we don’t have all the answers just yet. Is that any reason not to take a couple hundred million dirty cars and trucks off the road as soon as financially and technologically possible?

Wouldn’t that leave plenty of decades worth of fossil fuels for airplanes? (whoops, they don’t need them anymore either- biofuels have recently proven an alternative for that.)
Wouldn’t the industry that it would take to deploy and maintain something like this to everyone employ tens of millions world-wide while making the world a better place??

Right now, your EV could be charging in your driveway, running on kilowatt hours produced from coal, doing nothing to get off of dirty energy.

With this, you just plug in and you have a truly clean driving experience with no dirty energy footprint.
Just think:

  • No fossil fuels to war over
  • Doesn’t enrich foreign dictators and other US detractors
  • No mega profits for natural resource pirates* to funnel through and disrupt worldwide economic and political systems with crazy political Bribes contributions.
  • Won’t pollute the
    1. air
    2. land, or
    3. water

Notice that solar panels can also be attached to it’s infrastructure, backing up your wind generation!

Oh and of course the sun and wind don’t stop just because you’re not charging your car, and that generated energy can be used for

  • your other household uses
  • charging a second car, or
  • makes you money as you spin and sell pure, clean power onto the grid.

Now that’s truly giving you and I energy independence, right where you and I live.

If you and I had access to true energy inedependence, there’s no need for the government or corporations to “figure it out for us”.

Now I just have to see it in action to believe it! Oh we can do that here:

The new Sanya Skypump VIDEO LINK

CLICK HERE for Link To Video for Sanya Skypump

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While writing this post, this timely article also hit :
Ford Goes Big on Electric Vehicles, Future Looks Bright for Wind-Powered Cars

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*VAWT – vertical axis wind turbine”
*pirate – One who preys on others; a plunderer.

Clean Energy Victory Bonds

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What can the average person do if they want to help bring about the change we need?

Enter… Clean Energy Victory Bonds (CEVBs).

North American Windpower is reporting that

“U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., is sponsoring the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2012 (H.R.6275), which would enable the continuation of the production tax credit (PTC) and other clean energy incentives for 10 years.

It would also give all Americans a way to invest in a clean energy future that creates energy independence, jobs and economic opportunities.”

Up to now, financial factors are probably the leading reason renewable energy has not experienced an even larger mass expansion than has already been achieved. Surprisingly, these financial factors may have little or nothing to do with the actual final cost of generating the energy that would be produced.

Although in most cases the “fuel” to be used -like sunshine and the wind- will be free once the project is built, Renewable Energy projects require a large amount of money up-front, which leads to..

Investment, financing and tax break opportunities are generally limited to: utilities, existing energy companies (usually dirty energy-most of whom are fighting against renewables) or deep pocketed hedge funds / private multi-millionaire investors.

This is mainly a US problem due to our investment laws. Theres much talk about getting around this by:

  • “Community” Renewable Energy programs (We love the concept-it’s just not easily viable in most areas). Check this current example from Great Britain. We would absolutely love to see something like this available here.
  • Virtual net metering. This is where the solar panels or energy generation do not have to be on your house to count towards your electric bill.
  • Crowdfunding: Not legal investments for projects in the US at this time, where a large number of people make small investments.

You know we’re always looking for new ways the average person can get involved, on any financial level.

Take the minute and click on Clean Energy Victory Bonds.org and by all means use their system to contact your legislators to back this proposal.