Rick Raw: Green Machine Now Running on New Technology

By Rick Grant Commentary rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

Just ten years ago, the idea of developing new technology to fuel the green machine of conservation and greatly reducing C02 emissions seemed like a far off dream. Amazingly, today, scientists have met the challenge of developing the advanced technology to make this new green frontier a reality.

To facilitate this new age of progress, U.S. politicians are gearing up to implement special taxes and incentives to replace old coal fired power plants with wind turbine fields, solar energy, and nuclear power.

The long outdated grid is being updated with new computerized equipment that will deliver electricity more efficiently and cheaply. Engineers say the infrastructure is antiquated and stressed to its limits by the increasing demand electricity. Many other innovations are being developed to reengineer the grid. This initiative is already started in many states.

More significantly, just last week, President Obama visited a factory that was converted to manufacturing wind turbines. The conversion kept the workforce in place instead of laying them off. This is just one example of the changing tide of creative thinking to save jobs and provide new employment opportunities.

Retrofitting major skyscrapers to utilize green technology has begun in earnest. The Empire State Building in New York City is presently being retrofitted to save the owners $4.4 million a year in energy costs. This project is being funded by the Bill Clinton Foundation which donated $20 million to the project. Clinton hopes that this greening of such a famous building will inspire other owners of old buildings to convert their properties. Whatever the cost, it will eventually pay for itself.

More efficient lighting has already captured people’s imagination by converting to the new energy efficient bulbs, thus saving homeowners and renters significant money in electricity costs. In fact, the old incandescent bulbs will no longer be manufactured.

Now, the widespread use of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs could cut energy consumption in half. The chips have been around for decades, but primarily to make consumer electronics flash green or red. Now scientists have learned how to make the LEDs glow in bright white which will replace most all lighting demands such as home lighting, highway and street lights, and theater lighting. Using LEDs for all lighting will dramatically cut down on energy demands across the board.

Another unusual source energy is algae as fuel. Yes, think of that slimy pond near the interstate. The green algae produces oil that can be converted into biodiesel. Yes, the technology is new and is still experimental but, in less than ten years, large algae farms will provide commercial quantities of biofuel at a competitive price. The cost of growing, harvesting, and processing algae is inexpensive compared to processing petroleum into its various by-products.

Solar energy is not a pipe dream anymore. It’s here now and connected to the grid. California companies such as Miasole, Nanosolar, and Solandra are providing more than 5 percent of the energy market nationwide. Many home owners have gone solar and are selling their excess electricity back to the power companies. Here again, the investment in solar energy pays for itself. In some states, low interest loans are available to home owners who want to convert their homes to solar energy.

The truth is, going green is no longer a crackpot idea. Since, in every case, going green saves a significant amount of money, and ultimately, it will save the planet from global warming. Hell, everyone wants to save money.

Car manufactures have been frustratingly slow in getting on the green machine bandwagon. We should have had electric and hybrid cars decades before now. However, battery technology has advanced exponentially and a serious electric car is being manufactured called the Volt that will go 200 miles on a charge. That’s enough for driving to and from work and around town. Then just plug it in until morning.

Hybrids are selling well and the hydrogen fuel cell powered car is being sold in Europe. The Norwegians built a thousand kilometer highway with hydrogen gas stations along the way. Of course, the economic downturn has crippled the auto industry. But they can use the down time to produce green cars which, when the recession is over, will be in demand.
Going green is no longer a silly slogan invented by tree huggers. It’s a bold initiative to save money, energy, and the planet. Going green is now mandatory.