Alternative Renewable Resources.com

Renewable energy is being talk about a great deal worldwide these days.  With fossil fuel prices soaring and supplies dwindling, the time has come to take action.  We need to concentrate on developing and putting to use all the great natural resources we can use for fuel.

We as a nation are addicted to foreign oil.  This addiction threatens our economy, our environment, and our national security.  This year alone , $700 billion dollars will be sent out of this country, to countries that don't even like us, to cover the bill for oil purchased.

We now need to focus on renewable and alternative forms of energy to reverse our addiction to foreign oil.  New technologies are being used today that are making it more feasible and cost effective. We must take a stand as a nation and move forward in the "Renewable Energy Revolution".

Below I outline just a few renewable resources that can reverse our addiction to foreign oil....

Solar Energy:

Solar Power is the most reliable forms of renewable energy we have available to us.  Energy from the sun can produce electricity, as well as heat water and air. 

Photo voltaic (solar PV) technology is used to produce electricity.  Sun beams are captured in solar panels producing electricity.  Solar thermal technology is used to heat water and air to create power. Homes and businesses can use this technique to heat buildings and heat water.

Wind Energy:

The United States is considered to be the Saudi Arabia of wind power.  Studies have shown the Great Plains States are home to the  greatest wind power potential in the world. 

Wind farms are being developed across our great nation to produce electricity for everyday use, by everyday people.  Wind towers  vary in size and produce different amounts of electricity, according to generator size.

Hydroelectric Power:

Hydroelectric power plants are the second largest producers of electricity behind coal fired plants.  Hydro is totally dependent on flowing water, the force for driving the mechanical turbines.

Biomass Energy:

Biomass is any plant derived organic matter available on a renewable basis, including energy crops and trees, agricultural food and feed crops, agricultural crop waste and residues, wood waste and residues, aquatic plants animal and municipal waste,, along with other waste materials.

There are many more ways at producing renewable resources that will enable us to reduce our addiction to fossil fuels.  As a country we need to focus on alternative methods for our needs.

  Renewable energy businesses are jubilant over the extension of the production and investment tax credits benefiting their industries. This is part of the $700 billion bailout package approved earlier by congress and signed by the president.

The tax credit package will extend the renewable energy production tax credit for one year and the investment tax credit for eight years. The extensions will be paid in part by a change in the tax code for the oil and gas industry.

The one year production tax credit extension also applies to other energy sources such as geothermal; closed-loop biomass; hydro power; landfill gas; and trash combustion facilities.

A new energy production category has been added, marine renewable, which is referring to waves, currents and tidal action. This also has the one year production tax credit available.

The bill provides tax credits for advanced coal electricity projects with highest priority given to projects with the greatest separation and sequestration percentage of total carbon dioxide emissions at a cost of $1.4 billion over 10 years.

These solar investment tax credits will be extended for eight years with the 30% tax credit for residential and commercial solar installations.There will no longer be a $2,000 monetary cap for residential solar electric installations and so is the prohibition on utilities from benefiting from the credit.

It also authorizes $800 million for clean energy bonds for renewable energy generating facilities, including solar.

Now that this bill has been passed it is certain that many will be attracted to investing in renewable energy projects. My hat is off to Congress for taking action and getting this taken care of before it was to late.

Many thanks to National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Photographic Information Exchange for the use of many photos on this website.  Thanks again NREL.