One factor not included enough in discussion of the cost of our current fossil-fuel based energy system is the enormous long-term cost of military systems. Even once the current trillion dollar action in the Middle East is ended years from now, weapons and military bases around the world are maintained and developed to maintain secure to energy supply lines in getting fuel from some distant point in the world to the U.S. This is compounded by the fact that the land from which so much of our fossil fuel comes is controlled by highly inefficient, ruthless and self-serving dictators. Their power is financed and maintained by every purchase we make that requires some form of fossil fuel to make or transport to us. That would be almost 99% of everything we buy, from corn flakes to gasoline. The inefficiency and failure of these dictators in meeting the needs of their people with this oil supply wealth not only destroys priceless lives but increases the need and cost of foreign aid to save people from their own leadership. It also robs the rest of us in the world from the benefit of creativity and innovation that would come from moving huge regions of the planet from the categories of problem creators to problem solvers.
Somewhat less discussed is the significantly higher cost of health care because of the polluting nature of our current fuels.
Including these hidden costs, costs not included in simple comparison of the cost of renewable versus fossil-fuel based systems, makes renewable utilities the best solution to dropping the cost of everything. Some things can be done overnight with legislation change. Providing direct supplements for adding-on renewable systems, such as solar and wind generators, will get the ball rolling, provide some immediate relief and build the businesses up faster that are needed to enable long term change. Much of the work though will require long term policy changes that will make steady changes to phase out old systems and integrate new ones, work that will take many years.
Where and who are the grass-roots organizers that are making progress towards this goal?
- Renewable Energy World. A recent essay there by Michael Hoexter is a step in the right direction. http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/recolumnists/story?id=52490
- American Solar Energy Society, ASES, http://www.ases.org/
- NCSEA is a 501c3 non-profit North Carolina membership organization of individuals and businesses interested in sustainable energy. www.ncsustainableenergy.org/
- NC GreenPower, http://www.ncgreenpower.org/
- Alternative Energy Store - grid tied solar house kit, $9, 007.
- Living Off the Grid
