The United States of America is said to be the largest dependent on fossil fuels by a research conducted by southeast Missouri state university’s Robert Polack. He found out that the US uses fossil fuels in almost each and every sector from food, consumer goods, transportation, energy procurement itself to heating. Basically, our economy runs on fossil fuels, but question is what if the world runs out of fossil fuels in the near future what are we going to do? The answer to this perplexing question is to venture into renewable sources of energy, which will relieve us the burden and dependency of having to work with fossil fuels.
Over the past years as from 2000 to 2013 the cost fossil fuels has been on the rise. It is said that as at the year 2000 oil prices were about $20 each barrel but as the year 2013 the prices are at $60 to $80 each barrel for a normal production to be facilitated. In 2011 reports say that renewable energy was responsible for about 14.3% of the overall electricity produced in the US (Riley, Alex, 2012, pg. 12). Therefore if we concentrate on renewable energy, we would raise its contribution to sustainable power source that will aid our nation both economically, politically and socially.
Solar power is one of our best options. Solar energy is from the sun, this source is everlasting, and the light from the sun produces an amount of energy more than what US humans would require. Improvements in technology regarding solar-electric modules have made the price of energy that photovoltaics capture to reduce. It has reduced from 95 us cents/kw/hr in 1983 to about 20 cents /kw/hr according to the American solar energy society (Simon, 2007, pg. 7). Solar power will therefore be cost effective in the long run despite its fears of being costly in the short-run.
Wind is another option. Experts say that cost of producing energy by wind equals that when coal and oil. According to a trade group based in Washington D.C, American wind energy association, projects dealing with wind energy round the world are said to produce energy that is enough to power about 9 million normal American homes. Trends in this sector include building of wind farms that are offshore. This are collections of turbines that generate electricity and are put up in open-waters where there are strong winds.
Other sources of renewable energy are hydroelectric power and nuclear energy. However these two are faced with geographical problems as well as risks to human life.
The government and the people’s nation should be excel themselves. They should be committed to this vision and mission of adopting the use of renewable energy sources.
The government and nation should also act as a community. They should listen, learn, change, and serve with respect to the issue at hand of renewable resources.
I also urge that everyone have respect. We should let people air their ideas regarding sustainable energy and exchange ideas based on the same.
We should also personally develop ourselves in order to be resourceful when it comes to applying what is required to achieve this desired goal.
Finally I would like to urge the stakeholders involved in the mission to deliver what the promise in time for a sustainable energy development.
References
Findings from Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission in Nuclear Science and Technology Reported. (2012, December 11). Journal of Technology, 6, 25.
Heinberg, R. (n.d.). Rising Cost of Fossil Fuels and the Coming Energy Crunch. Oil Prices & Energy News: Crude Oil Price Charts, Investment Advice. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Rising-Cost-Of-Fossil-Fuels-And-The-Coming-Energy-Crunch.html
Riley, A., & Alex, B. (2012). Energy roadmap 2050 EU external policies for future energy security: workshop. Brussels: Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Policy Department.
Simon, C. A. (2007). Alternative energy: political, economic, and social feasibility. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
The Future of Alternative Energy. (n.d.). Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News . Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1028_041028_alternative_energy_2.html
