Check out this inspiring video!

I made a point in one of my earlier posts about individuals organizing to take the matter of alternative energy into their own hands, and came across this website called gen-we.org that seems to be attempting to do just that.   I found the video to be very inspiring.  I did some research to make sure I wasn't posting a video about alternative energy that was actually  sponsored by one of the oil companies, but it all checked out to be legitimate.  The website is based on a book called Generation We, by Eric Greenberg and Karl Weber.  Do you think civic groups have the potential to impact the future of alternative energy? Let me know if you were inspired!

The Hydrogen Hype

It is clear that one of the highest priorities we face with regard to energy and the environment is how to stop using so much gasoline.  Most of us are pretty familiar with the concept of hybrid cars, and we also believe hybrid vehicles will help us break our addiction to oil.  What I'm just beginning to understand is that the hybrid vehicle can come in many different forms.  The type that initially comes to mind, and also the only type that is being significantly used in the United States at this time, runs on a combination of electricity (in the form of a battery), and gasoline.  The term "plug-in hybrid" refers to technology that is still in development.  The plug-ins will rely mostly on electricity and less on gasoline.  And finally, fully electric cars will not use gasoline at all, thus they will not produce any emissions from the tailpipe.  Keep in mind that even though all of these cars do reduce the amount of gasoline being used, they all use ELECTRICITY.  Electricity in the United States comes mostly from coal and natural gas, which result in emissions of their own.

Hydrogen cars initially sound like a dream come true, mostly because hydrogen is so abundant, and because once hydrogen fuel is produced, they produce no harmful emissions at the tailpipe.  The problem is, making hydrogen fuel requires electricity.  And in this case, the electricity does not go straight to the vehicle, it is used up front in a process known as water electrolysis, which separates hydrogen from oxygen.  Hydrogen is known as an energy carrier as opposed to an energy source.  And because it is a middle-man in the equation, essentially carrying the energy it received from the electricity, it is actually less efficient than just putting the electricity directly into a car in the first place.  Unfortunately, some energy is lost each time one form of energy is converted to another.  Hydrogen cars are also very costly, which may prove to be another major challenge.  Current estimates place the retail price at more than $200,000.  Honda has about 200 hydrogen vehicles currently in use through an experimental leasing program in California.  Hydrogen vehicles also face challenges with regard to the need for infrastructure for refueling.

As you can see the issue is quite complex.  The above options only really achieve "green" status if the electricity they use comes from renewable sources such as wind, solar, or water.  There are also a number of other vehicles in different stages of development that can run on natural gas, ethanol, and even biofuel made from corn.  They all have challenges of their own.  What is clear is that there are many different paths we can go down as we move away from gasoline powered vehicles.  

What does the future hold if both sides don't come together?

The simple answer is: more of the same.  If we do not have a comprehensive energy plan that addresses the environment as well as the economic issues surrounding energy, it is the environment that stands to lose the most.  The government will always find a way to deal with the economic issues, and they will probably always be considered a higher priority.  It is all too easy to ignore the environment, as it doesn't hit Americans where it hurts.  

If lobbyists remain influential in government energy policy, we are likely to see an increase in oil drilling, expanded natural gas exploration and usage, as well as coal, which all have negative consequences for the environment in the form of harmful emissions.  The technology already exists for these energy sources, so when there isn't enough money to go around to invest in new technology, it's easier to use what we already have.  In order to have alternative sources of energy such as wind play a big role, there is capital needed up front to get the program off the ground.  Oil, natural gas, and coal also fit very nicely with the goal of achieving independence from foreign sources of oil.   

The United States will still have to deal with the international community as it relates to global warming, so the environment cannot be completely ignored when it comes to energy policy.  

I also believe the environmental movement here in the United States will continue to exert pressure on the government, although they are at a disadvantage in terms of money they have at their disposal and cannot come close to matching the oil companies.  

There is the potential for the environmental movement, private investors, and interested consumers to come together and take alternative energy into their own hands.  T. Boone Pickens' plan is evidence that any major change in energy usage in the United States might indeed be up to the private sector instead of the government.  It is also possible that State Government will play a bigger role in energy policy.  Ten states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions have chosen to participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which is essentially a cap and trade system to limit greenhouse gas emissions.  The states worked closely with a very influential environmental group, the National Resources Defense Council to implement a cap and trade program.  The environmental movement and State Governments were able to succeed where the Federal Government has not.  I take this as a good sign that the push for environmentally responsible energy programs will continue to progress with or without the Federal Government's assistance.

T. Boone Pickens, He's Our Man. If He Can't Do It...

It may be time for us all to familiarize ourselves with T. Boone Pickens' Energy Plan.  I bring this up, because with every passing day, it seems more and more likely that the government either won't have the money to invest in alternative energy, or will choose not to invest in alternative energy because it isn't top priority.  At a rally in Belton, MO yesterday, McCain contradicted himself  by saying that he would freeze government spending on all programs except defense, veterans care, Social Security, and health care, but later in the very same speech he said that if he is elected, the government will invest in all energy alternatives including nuclear, wind, solar, tide, and clean coal.  Of course he also emphasized that new oil drilling will begin immediately if he is elected president.  Obama has not specifically said that he will cut some of the money he proposed to spend on his energy plan, but he has been hedging, saying that he may need to delay some programs.  The dropping oil and gasoline prices also tend to lower the priority of alternative energy in the minds of some.

All this leads me to the point about T. Boone Pickens.  If indeed the government is not going to invest in alternative energy, then private investors may be the only way to go.  If you're not familiar with the Pickens Plan, it essentially includes two parts.  Part A includes a substantial investment in wind energy and the infrastructure required to harness the energy and get it to the electrical power grids.  Part B, and where his plan gets a little tricky, involves "freeing up" the natural gas currently used to power the electrical grid, made possible because in theory, the wind power will replace the natural gas power on the grid, and then using that natural gas in hybrid vehicles.  Most are in favor of the investment in wind energy.  Most are against the plan to use natural gas to power vehicles, for all the usual reasons.  Environmentally, it's not much better than gasoline.  

There are so many different ways the future of our energy may be headed.  The fact is that hybrid cars will be partially powered by electricity, but unless we have a fully electric car, they will still be dependent on some sort of fuel.  Will it be gasoline, natural gas, or ethanol, or some other biofuel?  T. Boone Pickens has a plan and he has money to back it.  If it goes his way, then natural gas is the answer.

**** UPDATE ****

It seems as if Mr. Pickens may have hit a bit of a roadblock, which may be related to tough economic times and the impact on the automotive industry.  T. Boone Pickens is the majority share holder of a company called Clean Energy Fuels, which is a natural gas vehicle distribution company.  Clean Energy Fuels was in negotiations with Honda to buy FuelMaker, one of their subsidiaries.  FuelMaker manufactures natural-gas refueling appliances, one of which is designed for consumers to use at home.  T. Boone was hoping to acquire FuelMaker in order to try to capitalize on the use of the in-home fueling device (Phill), which would alleviate the need to invest in infrastructure to equip gas stations with natural gas refueling capabilities.  Details as to why the deal fell through were not really provided, although it seems Honda was the initiator in terminating the agreement.  The termination was announced on October 16, 2008, and Clean Eenergy shares were trading at $9.44 which is down about 50% from September, when they were close to $20.  

Three Blogs I recommend

Following are links to three blogs I recommend:

Homeland Security

Jumping the fence

The Warming of our Globe

Homeland Security is an excellent blog dedicated to providing up to the minute details on what the Department of National Security is doing to protect American citizens.  In particular, the blog focuses on the latest advancements in airport security, an issue that most Americans consider to be of great importance.  In addition, the blog fosters healthy conversation with regard to balancing issues of personal privacy with the need for security.

Jumping the Fence is a beautifully designed blog, and addresses many issues related to immigration.  One major focus of the blog is challenge the stereotype of an illegal immigrant.  The blog includes a healthy discussion about some of the problems with our laws regarding immigration and the treatment of illegal immigrants.  The author of the blog is upfront with expressing support for legal immigration, and is here as a legal immigrant to the United States.

The Warming of Our Globe blog offers thoughtful insight with regard to the issue of global warming.  The blog provides information about the negative effects of greenhouse gasses on the environment.  Historical data as well as predictions for the future of our environment are included.  The environmental issues as a whole are then situated within the current political climate, and candidate's positions are investigated.  The author of the blog also provides balance by reporting counter arguments against global warming.  

Question for today: PLEASE RESPOND!

With Fall arriving here in the Southeast, I've become acutely aware of the number of gasoline powered leaf blowers being used.  It seems I can't walk through my neighborhood or across campus without seeing at least one on a daily basis.  Maybe I've become hypersensitive to energy issues, so I'm looking for some feedback.  Here's my question:

What would happen if starting today, no one EVER used leaf blower again?  Would there be any negative consequences?  

Okay, I guess that was two questions.  But seriously, tell me what you think.

JUST CLICK on COMMENTS to share your opinion!

Government spending past and future

Last night's presidential debate underscored for me just how critical this year's election is to the future of our country.  The hot-button topic present throughout the debate was government spending, and rightly so.  There is no denying that we find ourselves in an unprecedented financial mess.  So when McCain says things like "spending freeze," I'm sure it resonates with many Americans.  Yes, on the surface, many of us think to ourselves that government spending is out of control and it must stop.  However, this mess is not due to government spending, but rather the GOVERNMENT SPENDING MONEY ON THE WRONG THINGS.  Let's remember how we got here.  We did not wind up in this position because government was wisely spending our dollars on investing in the future of our country.  It's not like over the past 8 years our government has been putting money toward education or healthcare or alternative energy.  We all know where the money went; in large part to the war in Iraq. 

And that's why we need to recognize that an across the board "spending freeze" will just keep us stuck in this horrible mess.  Now, more than ever, we need a leader who can temper response to the severity of the financial crisis, and look forward with a sharp eye for investments that are critical to the future of our country.

Let's look how the issue of spending plays itself out under each of the candidate's positions on spending.  

It's pretty clear that John McCain's energy plan under a spending freeze boils down to just one thing: drilling.  The technology is already there, so no government investment is required.   What you get is more of the same.  We will continue to be dependent on oil, and no matter how much we drill, we will still need to import oil.  McCain made it very clear last night, that he has no problem with us being dependent on oil, he just wants us to become independent from having to buy it from the Middle East and Venezuela.  I take that to mean that he is not concerned with the environmental issues surrounding oil, at least not in a way that would influence his policy regarding energy.  His plan is clear.  We stay status quo.  And we will be no better off on this issue four years from now if John McCain is elected.

Barack Obama does not plan to scrap his energy plan for the future.  He continues to believe that to reach our goal of energy independence, we must invest.  We will drill, but we cannot just abandon our focus on alternative sources of energy.  The investment in hybrid vehicles cannot be sacrificed.  The transportation sector uses 30% of our energy, over 90% of it comes from petroleum products.  If we don't change those numbers in a big way, our dependence on oil does not improve.  And as for where that electricity comes from to feed the hybrid vehicles, under the McCain plan, it would mostly come from nuclear energy.  However, under the spending freeze, I guess he won't invest in nuclear at this time, which in my opinion is not necessarily a bad thing.  Obama prioritizes wind, solar, hydroelectric, and other clean non-nuclear forms of energy to produce electricity.

So, the "spending freeze" may sound like a welcome relief to most Americans right now.  It could be perceived as much needed tough talk for tough times.  But these tough times didn't result from government spending on energy, education, and other forward thinking programs.  It is exactly because we were NOT investing in the future that we ended up where we are.  And that's where the "hatchet" will keep us.  It seems to me the more reasonable approach is to cut spending where it isn't working and fine-tune what little spending we can afford, and target it toward our future.