The more I look into the various issues that make up the larger topic of alternative energy, the more I realize that they all tie in together, and ultimately are going to need to work together in order for us to solve the problem.

As we all face the reality that fossil fuels are a finite resource that will eventually run out, more and more people are ready to “go green.” The problem is that it has taken until now [when oil prices are at an all time high] for most people to be ready to take action.

Many of the efforts being worked on right now to solve the problem were ideated by someone years ago, but were never taken seriously because they were considered to be “ahead of their time.” When we were paying one to two dollars at the pump, few were interested in looking into alternative fuels like hydrogen and ammonia because it wasn’t hurting our pocket books that much. But with prices now more than double what they were a couple years ago, suddenly everyone’s asking questions.

Where do we go from here? Isn’t there a quick fix? What’s being done to secure my future?

There is no [magical] quick fix. In order for the current alternative energy efforts to take off, there needs to be an infrastructure set in place. For example, hydrogen is going to be a huge part of our future, but right now there aren’t enough hydrogen-fueled vehicles for it to be economical to building hundreds and thousands of hydrogen fueling stations. On the flip side, there aren’t enough fueling stations for manufacturers to logically produce thousands of alternatively powered vehicles (it’s the age-old chicken and egg situation).

When it comes down to it, most people may be ready to go green, but not everyone wants to pay for it.

In order for us to most successfully pull through our energy crisis, it’s going to take a combination of efforts on multiple levels. What this means is that in order to create a healthier world in the future, we may have to give up some things now (yes, really). Likewise, since alternative energy efforts aren’t going to take place overnight, there needs to be interim steps that can be made now.

The various forms of energy are going to need to work together in order for progress to be made. The technology for hydrogen to be used on a large scale won’t be a reality for years, so producing ethanol to balance out the need for foreign fuels helps us now. Wind energy has the potential to be stored through the use of hydrogen, and in turn could be used to run consistent power into the grid or even power cars and trucks. Again, it’s about working with the technology we have now in order to create more opportunities in the future.

There are costs involved with all the efforts, but just like almost every other aspect of life, you have to give something up in order to gain something else in the future. Certain things need to be done now and continue to be worked on in the future; it must be an ongoing effort.

I don’t think, however, that it is necessarily the public’s responsibility to know exactly what they’re supposed to do right now; I’ve been researching this for months, and I’m not even close to having the answers. I think it is the duty of our elected officials to work closely with the people who know the issues best, and it is up to them to work together to tell us [the public] what needs to be done and how we can do our part.

Of all the plans I’ve heard or read about, the most comprehensive and logical isn’t that of a politician, but of oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens, who has spent $58 million of his own money in promoting his plan. Pickens has gained the praises of numerous democrats, including presidential candidate Barack Obama, who’s own plan isn’t too far off from that of Pickens.

One of the most important things that we can do now as individuals is practice energy efficiency. There are small changes we can make to our lifestyle that can use less energy while providing us the same level of energy service. Such things as changing out your light bulbs, using power strips, or even changing out your appliances to be more efficient, the more we do as a collective effort now, the sooner we can get to where we need to be.

We’re making progress, but it’s slow, and we’re behind. I believe people are ready to do what they need to do, but it’s going to take a little push from the people who know it best. However, the people that do don’t always have the means to pass along what they know. This needs to remain an ongoing conversation, an open forum involving the public, our government, businesses, and organizations.


Read more about the topics discussed above:
- Pickens Plan
- Barack Obama’s New Energy for America
- John McCain’s Lexington Project
- Energy Efficiency

Be sure to watch my videos on alternative energy efforts in Iowa:
- Iowa Energy Independence
- Iowa Wind Energy Pt. 1
- Iowa Wind Energy Pt. 2
- Iowa Ethanol Production
- Hydrogen Engine Development

And watch for the last installment to my alternative energy series coming soon...