Great article from the Washington Monthly Magazine, explaining the underlying issue in most of our posts.
Click here to read “Rooftop Revenue” by Anya Schoolman.
It was tweeted to us by Community Power Network (@Power4theFuture):
“Government helps big corporations make billions off green energy. How about cutting the average family in on the deal?”
Amen.
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:
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.
Wow. A year gone by already.
It’s been a year. Last June 30, I decided I couldn’t wait for someone else. A year (ok a bit more than that) since I realized that I was the person I was waiting for, no one else was coming along and doing… Whatever this is.. And what it’s meant to become:
It has been my intention to have All Our Energy be the bridge, creating a community of action between the public and renewable energy.
I’ve been looking at and meaning to respond to an article from several months ago Part 2: Political Reality and the Way Forward for Renewable Energy by Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
A major point was raised in that article that has resonated with me
What can be done between now and Election Day to ensure that voters have a clearer understanding of what benefits the <renewable energy> industry brings to the table. Maybe it’s jobs. Maybe it’s the environment. Maybe it’s about American ingenuity and the need to stay ahead.
This much is clear, though. The industries need a cohesive message, and they need to find a better way to coordinate and get that message out to rank-and-file voters. That message, say industry and political experts, is what’s needed to push legislators to ensuring that clean energy finds itself with a prominent seat at the table.
I plan to keep that in mind as we move into our second year…
What are your ideas on that?
Referring to an excellent pictorial from Shaun at Sea By the City, there’s quite a few questions flying around. I see an opportunity to help people who favor renewable energy get more involved through gaining knowledge: one of All Our Energy’s main goals.
A great comment:
MHC on Saturday, January 14th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Why only ONE turbine?There’s plenty of room for unobtrusively placing a couple more. Any talk of one or two more?
REPLY
I don’t know. Let’s talk about it!
From a personal
As I see it, Feed in Tariffs (FiT’s) are the most logical and proven method of expanding renewable energy in a way that is fair to consumers, utilities, companies and, well, pretty much everyone because » Read more..
Feed in Tariffs (FiT’s) are a government set price or amount that a power producer like wind turbine owners can expect to receive as payment for their power produced.
They have proven to be the fastest and cheapest way to promote massive growth in renewable energy, but all importantly, while still protecting the public interest by paying only for energy delivered. Paying only for energy delivered should be preferred. You know the deal: you work-you get paid.
That would be unlike tax breaks and grants, which are the current method » Read more..
Why wind?
“You mean not even getting into the bigger picture issues like: why change, why renewable energy, why stop polluting, why stop causing climate change and a hundred other ‘whys’?” I ask myself.
Well, let’s look at some readily checkable facts when we ask, “Why wind”?
It’s generally agreed » Read more..
I’d like to congratulate Jim Gordon and all at Cape Wind on the finally, “final” construction and operations plan approval, which came through this spring. Just the latest legal win, this time at the EPA, over their small number of opponents who have dragged this project out for 10 years now against all good reason through extremely well-funded, well-connected and highly organized groups.
Cape Wind by Wendy Williams and Robert Whitcomb.
To find out the story of Cape Wind, read Cape Wind: Money, Celebrity, Class, Politics, and the Battle for Our Energy Future by Wendy Williams and Robert Whitcomb.
I applaud their diligence and conviction to see this through, in spite of any and all obstacles put in their way.
In a statement from Cape Wind’s Director of Communications, Mark Rodgers, “This latest decision by the agency responsible for protecting our air and water is yet another example of how, over the past decade, the coal- and oil-funded opposition group has clogged the court system with frivolous appeals. Cape Wind has won every lawsuit and challenge brought by this self-serving special interest group.”
I also would like to congratulate them on their PPA and extremely fair rate for their renewable energy that they negotiated for all parties involved, including the sliding scale that may further save residents if the project can attain further grants and incentives. Massachusetts residents will not only have a stabilized energy flow and cost, this will significantly reduce the carbon dioxide and other pollutants that would otherwise be sent airborne by fossil-fuel burning plants for local residents to breathe.
I hope Mr Gordon and his compatriots can finally move forward.
Happy Independence Day.
I would like to think that one day we may celebrate Energy Independence Day as well. How can a country so strong, resilient and filled with ingenuity not be doing more towards this very attainable goal? It is a matter of national, financial and environmental security.
How did this all come about?
Well, basically, it’s really windy where I live. That’s great in July and August, when my town is 10-15 degrees cooler than the “mainland”. The other 9-10 months of the year, it makes it quite a bit more uncomfortably cooler here than elsewhere. Best I can tell, that means I get 3 good months, 9 less-than-desirable months. This imbalance has weighed on my thoughts, especially in the winter months, if and when I could hear myself think over the loud bluster; the virtually continuous 20-30 mile-per-hour squall that blows from Columbus Day straight through until Memorial Day, when it then moderates to what is known as a just a “fresh breeze” at about 15-20 MPH, then the cycle repeats; the cycle and its phases a continuous reminder in those thoughts.
As I’ve grown older and less resistant to the cool weather, I kept (keep?) thinking: if I could just capture all that wind to do my bidding, I would feel like I’ve fought back against the sheer slap to the face it can be on particularly “brisk” days; maybe making it worthwhile to put up with; its untamed nature tamed by the mastery of my very impressive hand.
All joking aside, I had spent many waking (and sleeping) hours dreaming up wind power systems.
Thanks to my wonderful wife and loving son, I received a gift that would change everything: Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm or Business by Paul Gipe.
Wind Power by Paul Gipe
Understand: this book is the equivalent of the bible, when it comes to wind energy. I was engrossed in it and devoured it quickly. When finished, I eagerly re-read it. I probably refer to it several times a week, or more.
Now crushed by my new understanding that my “unbelievable” designs really were, and had been proven not viable, I went through all the phases of grief. Pulling myself together, I moved on to the concept of having my own modern version of the familiar wind turbine, to both offset my use and maybe generate some extra for cash, the book unfortunately also dashed these dreams on numerous fronts: siting, zoning, grid interconnection and how impossible it might be to actually be paid for my power generation.
Really, a fantastic, truly enlightening book; I hold no grudge. I know to embrace the messenger. Great is great-my dreams aside. New dreams have arisen, this time more reality-based, thanks to Mr Gipe’s in-depth explanations and examples.
Wind Energy Basics by Paul Gipe
If you cannot make it through Wind Power and its considerable bulk, descriptions, explanations and in-depth information; all of which is highly understandable for the average person, there is another alternative:
Wind Energy Basics (2009 edition) By Paul Gipe, which is an extremely condensed version PLUS has invaluable additional information, including completely necessary, exclusive chapters about Community Wind and more. In his summary chapter, he shows how much of our electricity could easily be coming from wind (we could have had 40% of our entire country’s electricity from free wind energy right nowfor the low, low price of the Iraq War thru only 2008!); how advancing every household a wind turbine credit would actually double back it’s investment, and also how such a large percentage of wind power usage could be attained; logistically, financially, and what it would mean economically for our country. We have what we need right now to make it happen, except real leadership.
So, what will make it happen?
It would seem everyday people, like you and I, DECIDING to do something about it, and then following through and acting on that decision is what it is going to take. It’s pretty obvious the people that seem to be entrusted by the public with making this happen, ARE NOT.
The system currently in place IS NOT working. Sadly, even the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has set their sights VERY LOW at wind energy only being 20% of this country’s usage by 2030. 20% in 20+years, from the group that is supposed to be leading the charge? I much prefer Mr. Gipe’s vision of 40%, including his prescription for how it can happen; that it is not just wishful thinking.
Don’t take my word, read these books. Spread the word. Ask your local bookstore to carry them. Give them as gifts. Request them at your library.
Since then, I have still been imagining what can be, educating myself, trying to move these thoughts forward into something tangible, real, meaningful; and will continue along this path wherever it leads.
You can also check out Paul Gipe’s website: Wind-Works
