It is commonly understood that there is a very real need for alternative energy sources for a number of reasons, which include preserving the environment and providing for fuel during times of reduced production and/or distribution of fossil fuels. With the relative instability of several OPEC nations, western countries are looking for ways to reduce dependence on those countries in order to ensure the stability of their respective nations. Renewable energy development is of utmost importance, and that means that greater focus needs to be placed on advancement, capacity growth and available sources in order to present a viable solution.
Renewable Energy Advancement
The advancement of renewable energy pertains to research and technology which has only recently, within the past few decades, been undertaken with any amount of effort and financial resources. It was during the fuel crisis of the mid 1970s when the OPEC oil embargo was in full swing, that the United States, under the direction of then President Jimmy Carter, began to take the situation seriously. We were one of the first countries to pour any amount of capital into research and technology, and as a result, became on of the world leaders in production of alternative power sources. While it began with such fields as solar, wind and hydro power, the mid 1990s saw the advancement of biomass as a viable alternative.
Capacity Growth
Another much needed area of development is in seeking ways to increase capacity in both the production and distribution of renewable energy. While, for the most part, there are smaller providers who feed into the power grid making it available to large utility companies, the capacity is limited in that funding just isnt available at the moment to subsidize those smaller entities. And while renewable energy, such as solar panels and kinetic energy, is available to individual consumers or businesses, it is not cost effective at this point in time. Further development may yield ways to make it more affordable which would make renewable energy available to greater portions of the population.
Renewable Energy Sources
Finding and developing renewable sources of energy is an ever-expanding field. At the moment, biomass is a key player and science is finding new sources, almost by the day. A huge concern among environmentalists is in the use of agricultural crops like corn and sugar to manufacture such biomass products like ethanol. It is argued that too much agricultural land is being utilized as it is, which they contend will drive food prices up because it will result in a lack of fresh produce. Science is finding ways to utilize land masses which are unsuitable for food crops yet would yield harvests of crops sufficient for biomass sources. At the moment, finding renewable energy sources is second only to finding funding for research and development.
There is still insufficient funding to further advancement as rapidly as necessary because there appears to be a political agenda that is holding back financial resources. Many people believe that the large oil conglomerates hold all the cards in Washington, and until such time as lobbyists can counteract that big money machine, advancement will be slow in proceeding. However, as public awareness grows, renewable energy development becomes more plausible.
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