Plugging into the Future

In a previous post, I made an argument against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Rather than spending the $3.7 billion on a pipeline that would transport fossil fuels (oil and natural gases), I say that the money be directed towards advancing the use renewable resources.

Renewable resources refer to resources that are naturally replenished and thus can be used again, such as solar, water, wind, and biomass energies. Though fossil fuels are also created naturally (through the remains of dead plants and animals), they differ from renewable resources in that fossil fuels take around three hundred million years to be formed. Because of the time fossil fuel development requires, they are interchangeable with nonrenewable resources. Renewable resources are also environmentally friendly, aiding in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Take solar energy for example, "1.5 kilowatt of [photovoltaic] system, will keep more than 110,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere for the next 25 years" (altenergy.org). This would save approximately 60,000 pounds of coal from being burned. A society completely dependent on solar energy would result in a society entirely free of pollution. There would be no smog or acid rain, allowing for a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone.

However as a community and a nation primarily dependent on fossil fuels (approx. 80%+ of the U.S. total energy), it is going to take a great load of effort to transition to renewable energy sources. Government public policy would need to promote the upgrade of a power grid capable of delivering renewable energy to the public for use. The $3.7 billion would be better spent in upgrading the public power grid to transfer and deliver power from renewable sources.

Right now, energy from renewable sources costs more money than fossil fuel generated energy because the power grid in place was built for fossil fuel use. In order to make renewable energy economically competitive, the government would have to invest in upgrading in the public power grid. The power grid would connect to solar and wind farms (i.e. West Texas, Arizona, and California) to collect and transport the renewable energy to power station. By our government investing $3.7 billion dollars this way, it would bring a return that paid off in clean energy for the rest of time.