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Global Warming and
Climate change are a major issue for the world to face
currently.There are so many facets to it and so
many of the
scientific fraternity are still completely unsure as to whether
it exists or not. There
are so many reasons why its all false and many people like Al
Gore have vested interests to keep the lie going but there are
also now so many people that have been indoctrinated into it
and the science has taken a back seat to all the lies and
rhetoric on bothe sides of the equation.
Wind Power as a Viable Solution to Meeting Alternative
Energy Needs
Although it is much less expensive to initially get hooked
into the local electric company's grid than it is to set up and
hook into wind turbines, in the long run one saves money by
utilizing the wind for one's energy needs—while also becoming
more independent. Not receiving an electric bill while enjoying
the advantages of the modern electrically-driven lifestyle is a
wondrous feeling.
Electric bills and fuel bills are rising steadily—but the
cost of wind turbine energy is zero, and the cost of installing
and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand
rises and more commercial success is realized by various
companies producing the turbines and researching technologies
to make them ever more efficient. In addition, people are
moving away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil
fuels for personal reasons including desire for greater
independence, the desire to live remotely or rurally without
having to “go primitive”, political concerns such as fears of
terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids, or concerns
about the environment. Again, this motivation to get away from
the traditional energy sources is the same one that causes
people to seek the power of the wind for their energy, giving
more business opportunities to profit from wind turbine
production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for
the consumers. In nearly thirty states at the time of this
writing, homeowners who remain on the grid but who still choose
to use wind energy (or other alternative forms) are eligible
for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments that end
up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy
systems' costs. In addition, there are 35 states at the time of
this writing where these homeowners are allowed to sell their
excess energy back to the power company under what are called
“net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the
local power companies for this energy are standard retail
rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting
from their own energy production.
Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal
government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power
incentives in all 50 states. Japan and Germany already have
national incentive programs in place. However, “A lot of this
is handled regionally by state law. There wouldn't really be a
role for the federal government,” the Energy Department's Craig
Stevens says. And as might be imagined, there are power
companies who feel that it's unfair that they should have to
pay retail rates to private individuals. “We should [only have
to] pay you the wholesale rate for ... your electricity,”
according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric's director
of regulatory policy. However, the companies seem to be more
worried about losing short term profits than about the
benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of
wind turbines or wind farms. Head of the Center for Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Technologies of California V. John
White points out, “It's quality power that strengthens the
grid.”
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