Full steam ahead, I say!

Utility companies of the US, as well as those in the other parts of the world, have a pressing need to supply power to the ever growing population of energy starved consumers. Through our endless need of this precious commodity to power our home appliances, home computers, laptops, PDA's, iPods, iPhones, cell phones, home theater systems, televisions, air purifiers, wine fridges and more, we are consuming more and more power at the same time we are needing to either cut back or find a new means of power supply if we are to be enjoying this glorious planet of ours much longer. This has nothing to say with respect to the world we intend to hand down to our future generations.

Due to this there is a growing concern through both public and political pressures for using renewable energy sources. With our newest addition to the expanding economic populous and ever growing consumer base of China we find they commission a new coal-fired plant every 5 days. Yet in the US there has not been a new coal-fired power plant permitted in about a year. Although, keeping in mind that there are currently numerous on the agenda in various parts of the United States. But, over time in North America, are the older systems to begin fading away? The real question is, what will take their place?

Our public perception of renewable energy systems at this time seems to be limited to windmills covering mountains with spinning props. There is an expectation of solar panels mounted over rooftops in search of the sun. But these are both intermittent sources of energy production as only some of the time does the wind blow. The other part of the equation is that there is night time, thus the sun doth not shine. Things are quite different with geothermal power, which has demonstrated the ability to not only meet base load power requirements, but can be done without the much of the visible pollution numerous naysayers have in their complaint arsenal. Geothermal offers the prospect of heat energy from the depths of the earth. This happens without pause 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The fuel is, for all intense and purposes, “free.” That is to say that we are expecting that the heat energy of the earth will last for at least another billion odd years.

The Swiss have been producing steam since 1872. Through war time, peace times, night time, day time, calm days and windy days. To make a point, one must consider what is not around a geothermal plant. There are no train lines to haul coal, there is no mine necessary to get the coal to put on the train. There is no mountain top that needs to be removed to get the unnecessary coal to put on the unnecessary train. There is no diesel necessary for the unneeded bulldozers that do not need to get the unneeded coal to put on an unneeded train line. There are no rivers spoiled with the waste and runoff, and no carbon dioxide that is spewing from stacks. Cleaner air, cleaner land, cleaner water. What a concept.

To put it to scale, geothermal energy would dramatically change the entire equation of energy consumption and waste in our culture. As fossil-fired infrastructure from decades past has reached the end of its planned service life, geothermal offers a new way forward. Now is our time to act. We must make a choice for a better future and our time is now. I must add that we should not eliminate our desire and need for wind and solar, and even nuclear power, but we should add more to our satchel of various utilities to choose from that are even better overall for our environment.

Are we not a people that take on challenges? Do we not forge ahead through all types of diversity? An obstacle is simply a challenge, as something that needs a solution to be found. There are no mountains too tall to climb, as we have Mt. Everest conquered every year by many. We have gone to the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and “X”. We have sent objects beyond our solar system. We have cured ills, Pasteurization, x-rays, Cat scans, penicillin . We have split the atom. We create to the billionth of a millimeter. I think we are ready to tackle this new technology.

Contact your Senator or Congressperson to show your support of this new and emerging technology. You can purchase your utilities from green suppliers and contact them regarding this new option. When we get these utility companies to purchase more of this type of power our pricing can go down, our air can be clearer, our lakes and rivers will be cleaner.

Full steam ahead, I say!