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Author	Topic: On the Road Toward Energy Independence	Post a Reply Back to Topics

dgerst Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,721 Points:558,725 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:47:14 AM Ignore dgerst Report Abuse With all the bad press about the renewable energy industry, it's easy to miss the fact that we are moving steadily down the road towards energy independence. It's a trip that we need to make, but it hasn't been easy and there's no way we can afford to coast now. First, we need to be proud of the progress we’ve made so far. Costs for rooftop solar equipment have plummeted. Germany is miles ahead of the U.S. in this regard; in Germany a rooftop system costs about $2.50/watt – about half the price of a comparable system in the U.S. At one peak time in May, solar provided an astounding 30 percent of Germany’s national energy demand. Fully installed rooftop solar can be cheap. Speaking of cheap, natural gas is providing our economy with a short-term bridge towards a renewable future. Until we Visit Renewable Energy World for full article

dgerst

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South Carolina

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Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:47:14 AM

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With all the bad press about the renewable energy industry, it's easy to miss the fact that we are moving steadily down the road towards energy independence. It's a trip that we need to make, but it hasn't been easy and there's no way we can afford to coast now.

First, we need to be proud of the progress we’ve made so far. Costs for rooftop solar equipment have plummeted. Germany is miles ahead of the U.S. in this regard; in Germany a rooftop system costs about $2.50/watt – about half the price of a comparable system in the U.S. At one peak time in May, solar provided an astounding 30 percent of Germany’s national energy demand. Fully installed rooftop solar can be cheap.

Speaking of cheap, natural gas is providing our economy with a short-term bridge towards a renewable future. Until we
Visit Renewable Energy World for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

crep1291 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:2,588 Points:481,575 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 8:41:07 AM Ignore crep1291 Report Abuse "Natural gas is a long term solution, not a short term one. We have at least a century's worth." 100 years supply assumes current (low) consumption rates. When we start exporting and burning natural gas for transportation, reserves will be depleted much quicker than 100 years.
doctorindyj Champion Author Santa Fe Posts:3,463 Points:842,510 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 8:00:02 AM Ignore doctorindyj Report Abuse First of all renewable energy is a misnomer. The law of conservation of energy makes it impossible. Even the sun will eventually run out of energy. Second of all it is more expensive for us because we are footing the bill for R&D then we turn around and let others have the tech for cheap or, like the Chinese, they co-opt the tech and then undercut us. Also right now the tech is going nowhere because it is the scam of the day and people are using 'green' as the inroad to a quick buck because everyone will throw money at it without due diligence. [Edited by: doctorindyj at 7/13/2012 11:00:42 AM EST]
NukeAtComEd All-Star Author Milwaukee Posts:725 Points:338,520 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 7:56:01 AM Ignore NukeAtComEd Report Abuse we could be energy independent with all the oil on the continental shelf that BarryO and the rest of the eco-nuts in the EPA/DOE/Interior department are denying us from drilling in!
stonecold5005 All-Star Author Waco Posts:817 Points:20,240 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 5:44:05 AM Ignore stonecold5005 Report Abuse ok
dgerst Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,721 Points:558,725 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 5:42:45 AM Ignore dgerst Report Abuse The road to Energy Independence is a rocky road.
Caduceus26 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:3,911 Points:765,310 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 2:27:28 AM Ignore Caduceus26 Report Abuse The "road toward energy independence" is long, rocky and little traveled in this country. It is encouraging to think that we are finally paying attention to this very serious national policy issue.
Jeff4U Champion Author Atlanta Posts:8,772 Points:1,855,295 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:26:41 PM Ignore Jeff4U Report Abuse Yeah right, just forget those beautiful trees that nature provides ... let's just chop 'em all down and put ugly-ass solar panels all over everything. NO thanks!
andy1024 Champion Author Allentown Posts:1,712 Points:450,200 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 9:41:01 PM Ignore andy1024 Report Abuse Keep going!
orphancarguyPE Champion Author PEI Posts:3,865 Points:737,915 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 9:29:14 PM Ignore orphancarguyPE Report Abuse Yup, passive solar with good design doesn't have to cost more--maybe 1% or less on the total build. Solar air heaters for your south wall are money well spent. I know as mine paid for itself in two years flat. Solar hot water works extremely well for me, too. Also money well spent, even up here in the north. These are all the low hanging fruit that people don't think of. As well, its not that expensive. I could have installed geothermal to heat and cool my house, along with the high electrical bills each month to run it 24/7/365/decades... BUT, for the same installation cost, I installed/can install 1) a solar air heater (reducing heating oil) 2) solar hot water system (again, replacing heating oil with solar) 3) second and separate solar hot water, to replace my oil-fired boiler furnace, and go with solar warm water infloor heating, and 4) install enough solar PV so that my my annual electrical bill is a wash 5) due to good design, my house is cool enough naturally in the summer that I haven't taken my AC units out of storage for 3 years. THAT is my energy independence, and that too could be every Canadian's and every American's independence for crude oil---especially the imported sort.
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,113 Points:1,625,315 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 8:57:28 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse Renewable energy is the only way to real energy independence for the USA. We should start with passive solar systems on every rooftop for, at least, all our hot water needs. If Israel and much of Europe can do that, so can the U.S. now.
carranco Champion Author Georgia Posts:1,027 Points:269,765 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 6:58:43 PM Ignore carranco Report Abuse Natural gas is a long term solution, not a short term one. We have at least a century's worth.
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,238 Points:521,550 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 6:43:03 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse Keep at it. It's a long climb.
md11capt Champion Author Denver Posts:3,558 Points:712,230 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 5:53:52 PM Ignore md11capt Report Abuse Bring back president Cheney. He was a genius.
jbrad4 All-Star Author Dallas Posts:803 Points:478,960 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 5:00:43 PM Ignore jbrad4 Report Abuse Energy independence can't come soon enough. Goodbye OPEC.
davenles Champion Author Texas Posts:3,211 Points:721,585 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 4:51:29 PM Ignore davenles Report Abuse K
Venzadriver Champion Author Florida Posts:1,325 Points:361,615 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 4:16:00 PM Ignore Venzadriver Report Abuse Our current (idiot) president would rather throw cash at any company CLAIMING to be working towards this goal rather than having to prove it first or repay all funds (SOLYNDRA?....).
graceman Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,968 Points:1,158,725 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 2:27:23 PM Ignore graceman Report Abuse He sure didn't hurt it,unlike the Republicans.
thizben All-Star Author Phoenix Posts:605 Points:285,395 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 1:20:03 PM Ignore thizben Report Abuse Thanks Obama! He did it all by himself of course.
werich44 Champion Author California Posts:1,872 Points:471,130 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 1:16:28 PM Ignore werich44 Report Abuse Replace the gas guzzling engines in our cars with nuclear reactors. That would give us Independence.
mitt4prez Champion Author Tacoma Posts:1,762 Points:1,249,125 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 1:15:59 PM Ignore mitt4prez Report Abuse The "bad press" comes from the awful performance of renewables, i.e. the govt trying to ignore reality so the poltically connected can continue to recieve payoffs.
fracknsave Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:1,666 Points:58,000 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 1:05:18 PM Ignore fracknsave Report Abuse Not only can we afford not to coast, we can't afford the renewables with any degree of prosperity.
isis1812 Veteran Author West Virginia Posts:367 Points:192,615 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:49:43 PM Ignore isis1812 Report Abuse Good article with good points about the trial and error of the industry. Especially liked the part about coal never being clean, and it only took $6.9B of research to find out. Go figure!
evowner Champion Author Salem Posts:2,197 Points:361,435 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:40:20 PM Ignore evowner Report Abuse Nice to hear positive attitude. The deniers get wearing.
fedupMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,969 Points:576,380 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:32:29 PM Ignore fedupMN Report Abuse Believe it when I see it.
TableTalk Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,184 Points:558,700 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:23:58 PM Ignore TableTalk Report Abuse The ultimate renewable energy will be carbon based fuels ("Syntholine" and the like). You will never be able to fly a 747 filled with people using solar or NG so get over the green energy myth already. The technology will eventually catch up. In the meantime let's use the existing cheap energy to rebuild our economy in preparation for that day when market forces will provide that cheap recyclable fuel of the future.
Gas_Eyes Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,692 Points:647,785 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:13:45 PM Ignore Gas_Eyes Report Abuse Natural gas is the bridge gap to renewable energy, but this administration is not doing much about it. They are leaving it to states to push it. Washington needs to do more about this glut of natural gas.
SilverDodge2000 Champion Author Spokane Posts:1,038 Points:186,405 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:10:33 PM Ignore SilverDodge2000 Report Abuse We are not really moving down the road to energy independence when the government is dumping billions into no workable projects and bankrupting the country. My solar system doesn't keep the lights going when there isn't any sunshine and the "spare" bank of batteries always has to be charged on the grid power. I quit trying to keep them charged in the winter, the last 15 yrs I just float charge the system on the grid until spring. It doesn't really pay for it's self but it made me feel like I was doing something special when I started this waste of funds.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,333 Points:2,374,295 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 12:07:49 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse or just buy chinese, save money and better quality to boot
bigthighs All-Star Author Tucson Posts:550 Points:52,965 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:55:16 AM Ignore bigthighs Report Abuse hmmmm
doggod Champion Author Anchorage Posts:2,863 Points:744,285 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:53:56 AM Ignore doggod Report Abuse >> in Germany a rooftop system costs about $2.50/watt – about half the price of a comparable system in the U.S. << Since these are almost all made in China now, what would account for the difference? Oh yeah, probably government rebates and subsidies. The fundamental numbers for PV solar don't crunch on their own, so it's a matter of stealing money from everyone, including the poor, and handing it out to those who worship the current political icons.
hatmanOR Sophomore Author Oregon Posts:110 Points:164,235 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 11:53:53 AM Ignore hatmanOR Report Abuse Come on US! We need to catch up to Germany.