Generally, when one thinks of E.T. they think of the 1982 Steven Spielberg film, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. But in the 21st century there is a new E.T. in town-energy technology. Energy technology is a growing industry around the world. It is the development of products, services and processes that harness renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, in turn reducing the use of non-renewable natural resources, like oil to cut or eliminate emissions and waste.
America is in the midst of an energy revolution, relying more on renewable energy than ever before. During these years of war and unrest in the Middle East the idea of America doing more to become energy sufficient has made a dramatic comeback. Not long after the oil crisis in the 1970’s President Jimmy Carter gave a speech urging the public to educate themselves on renewable energy solutions, however most of President Carter’s recommendation fell on deaf ears and yet again America sees itself vulnerable to oil and its ever increasing prices.
“…We must not be selfish or timid if we hope to have a decent world for our children and grandchildren … By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting our future control us … future delay can affect our strength and our power as a nation … I know that some of you may doubt that we face real energy shortages. The 1973 gasoline lines are gone, and our homes are warm again. But our energy problem is worse tonight than it was in 1973 … [because] more time has passed by without our planning for the future. And it will get worse everyday until we act."
President Carter tried to lead by example, placing solar panels on the roof of the White House in 1979. He has a dream that solar energy would make up 20% of the country’s power by 2000, however by 2004 all sources of renewable energy made up less than 3% of the county’s power. Stunningly, by 2012 renewable energy accounted for 13.2% of America’s power! This significant leap in such a short time is partly due to renewable portfolio standards (RPS). These regulatory mandates, which fluctuate state-by-state, were designed to increase production of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass and other alternatives to fossil fuels that are often coupled with federal production tax credits.
For example, Michigan’s RPS requires the state’s utility companies generate 10% of their retail electricity sales from renewable energy resources by 2015. Michigan is doing its part to meet these requirements using mostly wind energy this is because the Great Lakes makes Michigan a wind energy sweet spot. Currently Michigan has fourteen onshore wind farms in operation and six more in development. The state is also home to 121 companies that supply wind components, employing 4,000 workers. According to the Great Lakes Commission,
"Wind energy offers the opportunity to generate electricity in a way that has environmental and economic advantages over conventional power generation sources. These include providing local and regional jobs and revenue, increased energy independence, price stability, potential cost savings, as well as significant water use savings and reductions in air pollution emissions. The opportunity to reap these benefits in the Great Lakes region is particularly good due to the region’s outstanding wind resources, both on land and over the Great Lakes."
Clean technology has many benefits for American citizens and businesses. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are strong options for reducing toxic emissions, saving money on utilities, and creating a more energy sufficient nation. America cannot change our energy system overnight, but we can work together to provoke conversations, ideas and solutions to help free ourselves from the tyranny of fossil fuels. We can all do our part to work towards a cleaner and energy independent future. Just as President Carter said, “we can not be selfish or timid if we hope to have a decent world for our children and grandchildren”.
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