The notion that clean energy is an unfathomable and ludicrous concept is something that’s widely claimed and documented ever since the 2008 election cycle. However, I have managed to live off the grid, powering my home with solar and wind energy since 1991 – a strong contradiction against those claims. The problem lies not so much in the impossibility of achieving clean energy but rather in the narrow perspectives that define the problem in an absolute sense. A holistic approach considering multiple, interdependent systems that require gradual and intentional changes can pave the path to realizing clean energy in the US.
Recent times have brought a slew of energy crises, from multiple nuclear meltdowns in Japan to soaring gasoline prices triggered by North African political unrest. Further, harmful practices like fracking for natural gas and coal-fired power plants that cause thousands of deaths annually due to mercury and other emissions (as reported by the American Lung Association) continue to prevail. As aptly stated by Charles D. Connor, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, it’s high time we closed off the ‘toxic loophole’ that’s allowed coal-fired power plants to operate without any federal limits on hazardous pollutant emissions.
We must revisit and dispel several clean energy myths and focus on comprehensive solutions, encouraging a thoughtful debate over the innumerable and often uncalculated costs of dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and nuclear energy.
Myth #1: Solar and wind energies are not continuous as the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow 24 hours a day.
Reality: The high plains of North Dakota could provide wind energy to many parts of the US, similarly, Nevada’s deserts could do the same with solar. The issue here is the inefficient transmission infrastructure – the energy wasted increases with distance from source to load and the thinner the power lines. A logical solution to this problem would be expanding power transmission infrastructure.
Solar thermal generation plants store solar heat in molten salts, keeping them hot enough to continue generating steam after sundown. With rising costs involved in cleaning base load technologies like coal and nuclear sources, interest and investment in the thermal storage side of solar thermal generation will also increase.
Myth #2: Renewable energy is expensive and will never be cost-effective.
Reality: Prices for solar and wind technologies are rapidly declining as demand and production increase making them increasingly competitive with non-renewable sources in many parts of the world.
Myth #3: You cannot power your electric car with solar or wind energy.
Reality: While it’s true that driving an electric car in a region where most of the electricity comes from coal means you’re essentially driving a coal-powered vehicle, an EV powered by a solar-powered home is an embodiment of green transportation.
Myth #4: Electric cars will leave you stranded.
Reality: If you intend to drive from New York to LA in your Tesla, yes, careful planning is required. However, in urban areas where EVs are popular, charging stations are numerous.
In summary, the idea that clean energy is a pipe dream is a fallacy. With growing demand for renewable energy sources, decreasing production costs, and the clear environmental impact of conventional energy technologies, renewable sources of energy are steadily gaining prominence.
Author’s Bio:
Dan Fink, with a home high in the Northern Colorado mountains, has been living off the grid since 1991. He holds a BA in Technical Journalism from Colorado State University. Dan’s experience ranges from consulting on renewable energy systems, designing and installing them, to teaching and documenting about them since 2000. He serves as the Executive Director of Buckville Energy Consulting, the Editor-in-Chief of Buckville Publications LLC, and co-author of the book Homebrew Wind Power. He conducts classes on renewable energy throughout the US.
