US government missing the boat on alternative energy

This post is brought to you by  Curt Rosengren ~ Passion Catalyst TM   "Love your work. Change your world."

The idea that there is incredible potential behind the green economy of the future is exciting and hopeful. But the question today still remains, how much potential is there? Part of the answer depends on the choices governments make in supporting, for example, alternative energy. Currently in the US, that's been lacking.

Here's a good article on the issue in BusinessaWeek. Referring to a recent study that projected that "the green economy could produce as many as 40 million jobs and $4.53 trillion in annual revenue by 2030," the article suggests...

Despite the undeniable green momentum, a $4 trillion-plus U.S. green economy is far from likely—even in 22 years—because there simply is no "aggressive, sustained" federal policy. The federal government has failed to create and adequately fund the programs that would make the U.S. a world leader. And that's what the government should be trying to do, for reasons that go far beyond rising carbon levels. The U.S. risks falling way behind other countries in the development of green technologies. On its current course, this country could trade oil dependence for reliance on alternative energy products built by other nations already far ahead of it.

It goes on to talk about the positive developments on state and local level, as well as from the private sector. But...

Silicon Valley didn't become a global tech leader thanks to private equity alone. From the funding of the Arpanet, the granddaddy of the Internet, to research and development tax credits, the federal government helped the technology industry grow. The green economy envisioned by the ASES report will never be realized unless the government takes a similar approach. Despite condemning "America's addiction to oil" and promoting the importance of alternative energies in his State of the Union addresses, President Bush has consistently failed to follow through on his promises to fund for alternative energy research. He's generous with the green rhetoric, just not with actual greenbacks.

"Every robust energy technology has existed because of government support and tax subsidies," says Joel Makower, editor of GreenBiz.com. "But there hasn't been the appetite [in Washington] to do that for clean energies."

And if the federal government doesn't get its act together?

It's not over, but the federal government needs to take meaningful action, matching the bottom-up efforts of state and local governments, activists, and venture capitalists. If it doesn't, it won't just mean jobs lost. Even worse, today's dependence on foreign oil will transform into tomorrow's dependence on foreign alternative energy technologies.

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Comments

[Tiffany]

I just read some information that The Sierra Club sent out. I was disappointed to learn that John McCain was the only Senator who two weeks ago chose to skip a crucial vote on the future of clean energy in America -- dooming the measure to fail by just a single vote.

I feel our presidential candidates should make America's clean energy a priority. After further reading I found that this is a pattern with Senator McCain. On the League of Conservation Voters scorecard he received a 0 for missing the 15 most important environmental votes in 2007. McCain's score of 0 is lower than members of Congress who died last year.

John McCain's LCV score exposes the real record behind the rhetoric: a lifetime pattern of voting with polluters and special interests and ducking the important votes.

[PM]

Everybody should learn about electric cars as a solution. It’s amazing how far the technology has come. One of the main electric car companies, Zap, has delivered over 100,000 EV’s. (source: zapworld.com). EV’s cost 1 to 3 cents per mile to run, compare that to regular cars!

[PM]

Everybody should learn about electric cars as a solution. It’s amazing how far the technology has come. One of the main electric car companies, Zap, has delivered over 100,000 EV’s. (source: zapworld.com). EV’s cost 1 to 3 cents per mile to run, compare that to regular cars!

[PM]

Everybody should learn about electric cars as a solution. It’s amazing how far the technology has come. One of the main electric car companies, Zap, has delivered over 100,000 EV’s. (source: zapworld.com). EV’s cost 1 to 3 cents per mile to run, compare that to regular cars!

[curt]

Your analysis is so very correct. However, if we look at the whole situation through the perspective of real Power of decision making it is very predictable. Almost all top individuals are tightly connected to oil lobby and they are making an amazingly high profits in last years, due to some very bad strategic decision for US, but very profitable for their creators. Because, there is no national control unit to stop such a behavior, we simply need to wait for the next election and hope, that there is going to be another, not oily option in the top politics.
I also believe, there is going to be huge and profound change after the election on this topic, even though, the recent government literally destroy national finances, by ultra bad spending of taxpayers money.

[green human]

Why not hydroelectirc power. It's the ultimate in cheap, clean, renewable energy. Yes, it can cause damage to fish and the enviroment but the trend now should be to build smaller generating plants that are more specific to a city and don't have the same scale. Hoover dam for instance can light 750,000 homes, hydroelectric used to be supply about half our energy, now it's about 10%. Yes, projects are expensive to build but return energy for many years. I've got some stuff posted on my blog site www.greenhuman.org love your thoughts here or there.

[Julis Sujai]

Great Post! I especially found it useful where you stated.

[John T]

A few comments,

a) Hoover Dam's power is significant for sure, but still very small in comparison. It is only about 2000 mw. The issue with the Hoover Dam is that the water level in Lake Mead is dropping 10 feet a year, so in 30 years, the power output will drop.
b) Solar and wind can replace the output of the Dam with limitless supply of energy, not reliant on snow fall in the Rockies to keep the water level up.

As for government funding and support, this is a must. If we want to move ahead on energy self sufficiency, our leaders need to be very active in supporting it, both verbally and with some funding. Ultimately the private sector has to make the investments though, the government cannot fund everthing.

[Solar Solutions]

We need someone in the white house who is going to "Champion in" the renewable energy era.

[Tommy Tokar]

Renewable energies are the only way to get where we need to be. When you suggest the government get involved there isn’t a real financial reason for them to do so. I envision a home that generates enough power thru Wind and Solar to be self sufficient.

Follow that with EV1 style cars and your looking a bright future for the America people however where is our government making money from this strategy.

Tommy Tokar
President
SolarMecca Inc.
214-550-9817 Main
214-550-9817 Ext 704
[email protected]
http://www.solarmecca.com

[Logan]

Build your own renewable energy options at http://www.earth4energy.org

[Neil]

Learn how to build a wind and solar power generator. Make renewable energy at home:
http://www.earth4energyebook.com

[Faros]

Create renewable energy at home with http://earth4energyfast.com/

[faredog]

Wow , How many pitches for Earth4Energy can you fit on one post?

http://breathebetterair.com/earth4energy.htm

[Rick L.]

Yes the govt. needs to get their act straight on alternative energy. It is the future. Better start now. Thanks a bunch, Rick L.

[tnomeralc web design toys]

Yeah, I love reading your post.. Very interesting.

[oilfield equipment]

i agree with you so much. we need to start working on this.

[Tommy Tokar]

Big oil generates a tremendous amount of money to the federal government. Their lies the problem The US government does not have any real incentive to get involved with renewable energies on a grand scale. We can push and push and hope that a politician with a strong moral compass will rise to the challenge. I won’t hold my breath but I still believe strongly in the American people.

[Earth 4 Energy]

Anyone can easily build their home made solar energy systems for as low as two hundred dollars.

Visit http://earth-4-energy-systems.info/

[betty]

Great site-thank you! Check it out-Google CEO Schmidt says punching down into the earth to capture natural and clean geothermal energy could help move the United States away from it's dependence on petroleum. Dec.16,2008 Betty http://www.geothermalquestions.net

[Stu]

Very interesting. Good to see that solar panels are coming into their own now in so many more areas of life. http://www.g00d0il.com/solar/

[Richard]

I think the potential for alternative sources of energy and a healthier future for planet earth and our descendants would totally depend on the now. The dynamism between the people and government and a healthy mindset should prove to be a vital turning point for the sake of the environmental status of the earth. I also think that politicians should stop thinking about self-interests and start thinking more about what really matters- the future of the next generation.