Alternative Energy for the Home
We need to and will become more energy independent. There are many reasons to do this. Not having to rely on supplies of fossil fuels from unstable nations who are often hostile to us and our interests is a matter of National security. But beyond this factor... for a better quality of life, renewable energy is a must.
We need to, as individuals, to get “off the grid” and stop being so reliant on government-lobbying giant oil corporations who, while they may not be involved in any covert conspiracy, nevertheless have a stranglehold on people when it comes to heating their homes (And if oil is not used to heat your home, then the heat is usually supplied by grid-driven electricity or natural gas, another stranglehold).
As Remi Wilkinson, Senior Analyst with Carbon Free, puts it, inevitably, the growth of distributed generation will lead to the restructuring of the retail electricity market and the generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Eventually, the power providers will have to diversify their business to make up for revenues lost because of household energy microgeneration. Ms. Wilkinson is referring to conclusions by a group of UK analysts, herself included, who call themselves Carbon Free.
Carbon Free has been studying the ever-growing trend toward alternative energy-using homes in England and the West. This trend is being driven by increasing government recommendation and occasional government backing of alternative energy research and development, the rising cost of oil and other fossil fuels, concerns about environmental degradation, and desires to be energy independent. Carbon Free concludes that, assuming traditional energy prices remain at their current level or rise, microgeneration (meeting all of one's home's energy needs by installing alternative energy technology such as solar panels or wind turbines) will become to home energy supply what the Internet has become to home communications and data gathering. Eventually this will have deep effects on the businesses of the existing energy supply companies.
Carbon Free's analyses also show that many energy companies themselves have jumped in on the alternative power game and seek to leverage microgeneration to their own advantage by opening up new markets for themselves. Carbon Free cites the example of electricity companies (in the UK) reporting that they are seriously researching and developing ideas for new geothermal energy facilities, as these companies see geothermal energy production as a highly profitable wave of the future.
Another conclusion from Carbon Free is that solar energy hot water heating technology is an efficient technology for reducing home water heating costs in the long run. It maybe initially expensive to install, buyt with tax incentives and Cost savings overtime, an intelligent step to take. However, solar power is not yet cost-effective for corporations, as they require too much in the way of specialized plumbing to implement solar energy hot water heating. (A Green Job Work Program Initiative would solve this snag...)
And finally, Carbon Free notes that installing wind turbines is an efficient way of reducing home electricity costs, while also giving the invididual energy independence. Again, a wind turbine in your backyard is initially a very expensive thing to have installed, but expect companies to begin slashing their prices on these devices to insure themselves a share of this soon to be lucrative market.
For more information from Carbon Free visit their website: Carbon Free
About the Author
Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, On The Hook | Fishing Guide, Great Food | Great Recipes, Dieting Help | Move More - Eat Less, To The Stars | Astronomy, and Drive The Future | Hybrid Cars.
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