Can the United States of America Really Reach Its Alternative Energy Objectives and Goals?

By Lance Winslow

It's amazing how many politicians will sit up at their podium and spew nonsense when it comes to alternative energy. The reality is that are alternative energy future is not providing the jobs which were promised, but that's not because the politicians lied about what they were trying to do, it's because it would be impossible for us reach that goal. Let me explain.

First of all, we cannot produce the materials for solar panels, wind turbines, and other alternative energy technologies in this country at the price they can in China. Germany and Japan also produce a large number of solar panels, but they are losing most of their market share to China as well. Now then, the only reason that we have some solar manufacturing in the United States, or that they have any left in Germany and Japan, is because the worldwide demand is huge. But why is the worldwide demand so high?

It's not because solar offers a better return on investment for the amount of energy it creates, because it really can't compete with coal-fired plants, and other forms of energy generation such as hydro or geothermal. The reason that everyone is buying solar panels is because of the tax credits, the incentives, and the subsidies. That's a real problem because when you tax the people of the population so that you can provide these benefits to one form of energy generation over another, you are unbalancing the playing field in the free market for energy.

This will only cause energy prices to go up. And I suspect here the United States we will triple our energy costs in the next five years. In fact, it's already starting. It's happening because not only are we over regulating coal-fired plants and other forms of energy, we are also over taxing them as well. All the while letting alternative energy companies slide. That indeed is quite unfair, and that has nothing to do with capitalism, unless you consider state run capitalism actually free-market capitalism, which it is not.

Now then, is it possible to reach our alternative energy goals here the United States? Not long ago, I was discussing this with an acquaintance in Europe who stated; "Yes I KNOW it is possible! But perhaps not yet. But when we got to that point, we will look back and think about how easy it really was to do. It just took the ideas and ingenuity." Indeed, I agree, the technology is achievable, I know it is! We need to spend the money on the research, not wastefully, carefully, and stop subsidies and propping up bad decisions in the market place with no real return.

But it's not going to happen overnight, it will happen in due time, and if we force it we will make mistakes, and the bubble will burst before we get the benefits at of the alternative energy dreams that we have set forth. Additionally, we can have clean coal technologies too! So, let it all compete, and if we are going to fund alternative energy, let's fund clean coal technology too! Let the best energy form win. We have plenty of coal in the world, don't forget.

Indeed, hope you will please consider all this and think on it. If you have any comments, questions, and/or concerns please shoot me an e-mail soon as possible, I'd love to hear from you.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 22,700 articles was a lot of work - because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off..

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