Consultants Speak on the Future of Alternative Energy
Experts on energy and the economy indicate the directions we must go...
Alternative energy consultants tell us that the transition from the petroleum-driven economy and society to then energy economy will not be a smooth one. The amount of new technologies and infrastructures that need to be developed and built is staggering...Yet, Germany has achieved the feat of powering 10% of its entire nation through the use of wind turbines and solar arrays. And now corporation after corporation is springing up, partially helped by various governments' tax breaks and rebate incentives, partially driven by the possibliites of enormous profits if they can be a part of the alternative energy future.
True, it seems that the United States and other economies have lain dormant in regards to developing alternative energy on the grand scale for way too long. This country now has to scramble to play catch-up with some of its ecnomic rivals. Let's face it, access to cheap oil is virtually a thing of the past.
Consultants on alternative energy also say that we need multilateral, international efforts to create a green, renewable economy. It will only be through concerted effort by most, if not all, countries that we will get away from the heavy almost total dependence the world has on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels, in particular oil and natural gas, are poised to become too expensive and too dangerous. Burning them is polluting the atmosphere*, and digging for them is disrupting the natural environment.
Most experts think we have about 30 years left of reasonably cheap oil and gas and consultants say that within 20 years beyond that point, we had better be at least 90% independent of them go avoid major disuptions of our technical societies. Unfortunately, at the present time the world does not seem to have made up its collective mind on what to do to prevent this possibility. The thirst for oil is growing, not slaking, and this growth rate seems almost exponential.
One of the major problems of a transition to a new energy economy, the consultants point out, is that higher oil and gas prices stimulate the economy in the short run. How? This may fly in the face of what the public think is common sense, but the fact is that oil and gas are found and manufactured and transported by huge corporations who employ multitudes of staff workers and contractors and these people spend money. And, of course, the oil companies outrageously huge profits keep their stock prices high. The challenges that alternative, or green energy has to overcome are to be viable in the marketplace, more profitable to investors and understandable to would-be employers.
Wall Street does not like change; so there is resistance to this much-needed economic transition. It is because of this that many consultants suggest that we need an international, governments-backed initiative put into place - real goals and concrete projects for renewable energie. We are told that we cannot expect the new economy to spring forth overnight, all clean and polished and perfected, this will be an organic process with many setbacks and tribulations, but with eventual triumph.
The imperative for the least bumpy transition into a renewable energy economy rests on the wealthy, big-production, big-consumer nations such as the US, Japan, Western Europe, China, India and others. These nations must spearhead the effort to get off of fossil fuel dependency. Smaller, poorer nations are simply never going to achieve the level of energy usage through coal and oil that these nations have the ever expanding cost of the fossil fuels will will push gthe limits of their ability to sustain their newly-risen civilizations as more developed nations have done. To prevent major social upheavels in he near future, to raise the living standards for every individual on the planet - the time for the transition from black to green is now.
*Publisher's note: We are slowly poisoning ourselves. Here is one example - recent studies have shown that the breast milk of women around the world contain noticable traces of jet fuel! Unburned fuel tossed out by airplane engines fall through the atmosphere and eventually reach our bodies through water and food contamination.
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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