Posts Tagged ‘Alternative Energy Sources’

There is a lot of controversy as to the effectiveness and the sustainability of alternative energy sources such as wind turbines. Unfortunately, the sources of information on the subject are usually biased. Finding an honest discussion can be difficult.

Here’s an an excerpt from an interesting article on the subject of wind turbines.

Stevens has the right attitude. If we can discuss the pros and the cons of wind turbines (along with other environmental solutions) we can move towards more effective solutions that cause less problems.

You can find the rest of the article at For and against wind power.

As I’ve said before, in order to use alternative energy sources in a sustainable manner, we need to make sure that the organizations providing the service and technology are making a reasonable profit – but not gouging us just because the power is “green”.

Does manufacturing a wind turbine cost that much more than coal stations (per Kilowatt hour)? Does operating a wind turbine cost that much more?

In most cases the answer is no. Operating a wind turbine might even cost less.

In relation to this, Jay Hancock recently posted on his blog questions about green energy certificates in Maryland. He says…

You can read the rest of Jay’s post at Jay Hancock’s Blog.

Alternative energy sources are our future. We need to develop new sources of generating power in sustainable and clean ways. Solar power and wind turbines are two such possible sources of power.

But as I wrote in a previous post, we need to make sure that we are not destroying one part of the environment (or eco-system) to save another.

Now I want to make it clear that I understand no matter what we do, we’re going to have an impact on our environment. The question is, “how do we minimize that impact?”

Senator Feinstein is raising concerns about building solar farms in the California desert. She points out that the eco-systems out there are extremely fragile and need to be protected.

This of course puts her in an interesting position. She is protecting the environment from alternative energy providers. If they do nothing, there is no progress made and the environment continues to be damaged. If they move ahead they damage the environment while creating the power plants.

Frustration over these issues is showing, as this excerpt demonstrates.

The first key to realize is that there is an effort for cooperation, and I applaud that.

The second key is to recognize that we often become very closed minded about solutions. We need to be open and discuss alternatives so that we can find what is economically feasible while still minimizing the impact on the environment.

Here’s a quote that demonstrates how we need to change our attitudes…

Will yeah Bill, Los Angeles would be the perfect place to build a solar farm. After all, the damage has already been done there.

A Solar Panel on Every Roof?

A solar farm does not have to be a huge clearing of land with acres of collectors. What if we put solar panels on top of every roof top in L.A.? There would be much less environmental impact than in the desert and their would be acres of collectors feed the need for power.

The problem of course is that farms make money for investors - collectors on rooftops save money for families, businesses, apartment buildings, etc.

We need to figure out our priorities - is it about making money or saving the environment. Then we need to work in cooperation and find solutions that will be the most sustainable while having the least impact.

You can read the entire article at The Los Angeles Times.