Forget GOP Leadership On Alternative Energy
"Opinion"06/16/2006
Paul Munnis
The public is making an awful mistake in awaiting government leadership on alternative energy. What is needed instead is private investment, private purchasing, and an economy that just goes off on its own in pursuit of alternative energy products. After that happens, a GOP government will reluctantly follow in a negative way, seeking to regulate the innovations in ways that will kill them. If the public can defeat those attempts then we will have alternative energy solutions.
The preferred way is to have an enlightened Congress provide macro-economic solutions but they have sold out to special interests. It will stay thus until Democrats get into office. Then we can expect to see credits and deductions that will help to offset the costs of the new technology.
In the meantime, if an electric car is brought to market that seats five, has good trunk space, and gets 125 or more miles per plug-in, it will sell. Just don’t try to sell it through existing dealerships. If offered through SAM’s Club for example, they will fly out the door. Once sales take off the auto dealerships will buy-in to electric cars. An urban electric car is very desirable, especially one that can conserve its charge when in grid-lock traffic.
Solar panels are now capturing home-owners attention as another responsible investment. People are actually looking at home farming of solar energy and selling the output into the grid for reduction, elimination, and profit on their energy bills.
Here in the mid-west we see wind turbines sprouting up like corn in our fields. They are multiplying like rabbits. A new power plant reqwuires 45 years to break even while wind turbines pay for themself in five years or less.
Minnesota is also seeing the birth of ethanol and bio-diesel plants. Many people are buying stock in them and earning good returns. One such investor is Steve Sviggum and his brothers who earned $45,000 in dividends from their stock last year.
Yes, government under the GOP will not lead on alternative energy at the Federal level, it will follow though and when possible, it will get in the way with bad regulation designed to slow the stampede.
More good reasons to vote Democrat in November.