| Imagine this, every home in the US with solar | | | | most everyone has a roof of some sort, or, at |
| panels on the roof. Each one feeding power into | | | | least their apartment building has a roof. The |
| the national power grid. Or, industrious individuals | | | | electric generation would be good for what I think |
| producing biodiesel out on their suburban or rural | | | | of as the "helpless" members of society. That is |
| homesteads. How about wind generators on | | | | those who either think it is too much bother to |
| buildings in cities making power and sending it all | | | | do something for themselves or they just are |
| into the grid. | | | | too fuzzy brained to understand how to do it. |
| Historically energy has been produced by big | | | | The power companies could provide the solar |
| enterprises that build big facilities to generate | | | | panels themselves. They could also do the |
| power and then sell the power to the consumer. | | | | installation and maintenance. I know there are |
| Maybe it made sense at one time but it no longer | | | | some utilities that will let you interconnect to the |
| does. Please do not think I am implying we should | | | | grid with the proper equipment. And the price of |
| scrap ourcurrent infrastructure and start tearing | | | | that equipment is coming down all the time. The |
| down generating plants, although that might be a | | | | homeowner really would not have to do much of |
| worthy goal in the future. But with the technology | | | | anything which seems to be the standard for too |
| we have now we should be looking at a differnet | | | | many Americans. |
| model. | | | | The greatest thing about implementing these |
| Decentralization makes sense. It is far more | | | | approaches to energy production is the reduced |
| secure than a big power generating facility | | | | need for new massive coal or nuclear power |
| because it is safe from terrorist attack or | | | | plants. Did you know there are people trying to |
| sabotage. Decentralized power generation is also | | | | revive the nuclear power industry on the grounds |
| more resistant to weather disruptions. Last winter | | | | that it produces no green house gases? They fail |
| a transmission line went down in our area during a | | | | to point out that it produces radioactive waste |
| storm and we were without any power for nine | | | | that no one knows what to do with. There have |
| hours while the temperature was below freezing | | | | been no new nuclear power plants built for |
| with a blizzard going on. | | | | decades and it should stay that way. |
| Local fuel production seems to be worthwhile also. | | | | What this will all take is individual intitative. |
| Can you imagine who will work at shooting down | | | | Government does not seem to have the will to |
| this idea. But, why not produce some of your | | | | do much of anything except get re-elected. |
| own fuel for your vehicle. I live in the country and | | | | Industry just seems to have its head in the sand |
| could produce my own biodiesel. Interestingly | | | | and wants to preserve the staus quo. Do a |
| enough, a man in Central Illinois was fined by the | | | | Google search on some of these ideas or |
| Department of Revenue for producing biodiesel. | | | | technologies. You can buy cheap solar panels on |
| They said he had not paid fuel taxes on his | | | | Ebay. I bought six of them this year to power |
| production. Now they want him to fill out a | | | | small fans to blow heat into the house from heat |
| monthly multipage form just like a major refinery. | | | | collectors. They make a small contribution to our |
| This idea is not for everyone. Most people do not | | | | heating needs in the winter. I will continue to |
| have the space to make a fuel like biodiesel or | | | | expand this idea to cut down on my heating |
| ethanol. Especially if you live in a town or city. But, | | | | energy needs. |