Break the power industry’s grasp
The New York Power Authority wants to build windmills in Lake Ontario. The subsidies for these will be another stimulus for the power industry, just like the one for the banks who used taxpayers’ money to rob them.
Is there a way to get out of the clutches of the power industry? Yes, if we can produce electricity in each home to meet its needs.
There are three distinct technologies that can be used together to meet the needs of a home. They are: solar cells (Photovoltaic), wind turbines and fuel cells.
First Solar of Arizona (www.firstsolar.com) produces solar cells at under $1 per watt. NanoSolar of California (www.nanosolar.com) prints solar cells on a web press-like machine, also at under $1 per watt.
WindTamer Turbines of Geneseo, Livingston County, (www.windtamerturbines.com) is producing small, low-noise wind turbines that can be mounted on the roof of a home. Their eco-friendly design generates electricity more efficiently than a conventional turbine.
ClearEdge Power of Oregon (www.clearedgepower.com) produces a refrigerator-size fuel cell for home, using proton exchange membrane and natural gas to produce electricity.
Bloom Energy of California (www.bloomenergy.com) produces fuel cells that are currently powering buildings for FedEx, Google, eBay and Wal-Mart and expect to produce home-size units for $3,000 within five to 10 years.
The sun doesn’t always shine, neither does the wind always blow. To always have enough electricity, a combination of these three technologies will be needed, and will truly make us grid-free.
Instead of giving away billions of dollars of stimulus money to the power monopolies, the same money can be given to homeowners as incentives to make them grid-independent.
Jay Marathe is a member of the Democrat and Chronicle’s Board of Contributors.
