8/6/2019 Clean Energy United States Shilpa Bagul

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Fri 13 May 2011 02:38:02 PM EDT

Shilpa Bagul December 20, 2009Clean Energy and United States

Wide disagreement in just concluded Copenhagen summit has left an important message to cut-down fossil-fuel

consumption. Its hard to expect a grand change in the stance of developed and developing countries and hence I

negatively presume, it would prevail in the next Nov 2010 in Mexico meeting too. Though, we all are serious about

climate but, apparently, none of us is willing to be the topper in the list of bestower.

Good news is that the race has already escalated and there are few good examples. Iceland has given the proof of vast

potential for creativity in the energy sector if we want to look beyond the fossil fuels. Last year, Iceland produced

24.5% of electricity from largely untouched geothermal energy and 75.4% from hydropower. This has reduced its

dependence on petroleum, gas and coal significantly.

Iceland produces as much as geothermal energy produced by United States which is 89 and 960 times larger in sizeand population respectively.

Lately, the US has faced fierce criticism for failing to commit to sufficiently ambitious emission reduction targets. In

answer, the White House is proposing a $5 billion increase in clean energy tax credits as part of a push to expand US

renewable energy capacity. It would extend existing tax breaks for manufacturers in the wind, geothermal and solar

sectors. Manufacturing these energy efficient equipments in US means creation of additional jobs, which will, eventually,

help economy. Along with financial support, it is expected from Obama administration to look into reduced hydroelectric

production. According to US Energy Information Administration, currently, hydroelectricity generation in US is much less

that what it generated in year 1982. Probably, the hydroelectric power sector does not count, thats why administration

has not named a new Bonneville power administrator to boss the agency that markets hydroelectric power from federal

dams in the Northwest.

Though, there has been some recent downturn for geothermal progress at Basel, Switzerland and subsequently at

California due to some correlations between geothermal projects and earthquakes; it has been suggested that the

geothermal technology is at a relatively early stage and need to workout at relatively safe regions to accumulate the

safety data and certainly not at places like Basel, which has strong history of earthquakes. Hopes are very high for

geothermal energy as it will be available 24 X 7 and does not depend on wind, or sun light.

In a beef-up, this year alone, Obama administration has put some $440 million into its geothermal program. Boise, ID,

uses geothermal resources underlying the downtown area to heat a total of 366 homes, businesses, and public

buildings using four geothermal systems. Boise also has the only state capitol building in the U.S. that is heated by

geothermal water. Boise State University expect to save as much as $80,000 per year by the use of thermal energy.

Ball state University expects to save $2 million per year by heat and cool 45 buildings in the campus. Similarly,

University of Wisconsin-Madison hopes to save $1.25 million per year. Every geothermal statistics estimates the refund

of investment in next 15-20 years, but most importantly, the overall effect on climate would be evident soon as the

numbers of buildings being equipped with geothermal accessories shoots-up.

In the university/research buildings research equipments generate enormous heat, which needs to cool down in

temperature controlled buildings even in the winter season. A better arrangement of aggregating together high heat

producing machines, as in University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, will reduce the carbon imprint.

Besides, the governments, it is our responsibility to initiate and contribute personally to the environment. What should I

do, personally, to contain my carbon imprint. Certainly, the most frequently answers are Recycle, Save Water-Save

Energy, Car-pool, Think Green & Plant more trees. Recycling should appear on the top of our list as recycling one metric

ton of paper saves 17 trees. Moreover, it takes 40 - 95% less energy to produce goods with recycled aluminium, glass,

plastic, or paper than it does to manufacture them with raw materials. Our ultimate quest towards zero-waste requires

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