why Local Green Energy is vital to our energy future.
Last updated November 05 2008.
There's a popular phrase in Congress right now: "Drill, baby, drill!" While everyone admits that America's oil reserves, even if they are fully tapped, will never amount to more than a small fraction of our energy demand, the attitude is that we have to do everything possible, no matter how small, to help meet energy needs.
We agree with the attitude. We just think they've misplaced the energy source.
Green energy is local energy. Our current model for energy production, with large, remote power stations requiring substantial infrastructure for delivery, is based, in part, on the fact that our energy sources are inherantly unhealthy for their neighbors. So we build out power plants big, put them far from the users, and string miles oh high-tension wire in between them.
Green energy makes a better neighbor. It makes sense to keep it close, and keep the wiring to a minimum.
This is why Community Green Energy is based around the concept of Local Green Energy: small to midsize, single-structure installations which are easy to build, fit available space, and don't significantly impact the surrounding neighborhood.
CGE's installations will tie directly to the structures they power, so there will be no new infrastructure to build. No high-tension towers requiring forests be cleared. No new power poles disrupting neighborhood traffic.
While each installation may only provide partial demand offset for the structure it powers, each will take a measured amount off of grid demand. Taken together, within a distributed power grid, the effect will be substantial.
This is the attitude we want to promote: do everything possible to meet America's energy needs. Evey step counts.
making green power a part of the neighborhood.
Local Green Energy is also familiar green energy. One of the goals of Community Green Energy is to make green energy a common, everyday site in every neighborhood. We look for the day when people will wonder why a roof doesn't have solar panels on it, and why a vacant lot isn't being used for a turbine.
America's attitudes are born within America's communities. Green energy is still seen as exotic and unusual, and has been colored by political and partisan overtones, because it's still a fairly rare site. The best way to evolve the sensibility is to make green energy a common site. Bring green energy to the people, and the people will support it.
And support is just the beginning. We believe green energy in the community will promote a more responsible attitude towards energy. If you can't have a solar roof, you can at least switch to CFL lights, or hit the off switch a bit more often, or invest in the more energy efficient appliance. This is how Local Green Energy goes from green to grass roots.
