I saw a political advertisement on T.V. the other day from Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana. Although I have mixed feelings about him as a senator, I was thrilled when he backed proposed legislation to obligate utilities to derive a certain percentage of their power supply from renewable sources. To my knowledge, the proposed bill has not yet been passed, but may be revisited next year. At times, Senator Lugar does not seem all that committed to solving some of our environmental problems, but at least he is trying to make a vision of renewable energy a reality. Rather than simply talking about weaning us from foreign oil, he is outspoken about renewable energy--e.g. ethanol production--in Indiana as a viable alternative.

As I noted before, I think ethanol has a lot of potential, but there are some logistics that still need to be worked out. With other renewable sources, like wind and solar, there are some cost issues and other logistics that need to be worked out as well. For instance, I read that there is a shortage of the material to make solar panels currently. Yet, even with some kinks with using renewable sources, we have to start using them on a broader scale, or the technology won't move forward either. As an analogy, I think back to what cell phones looked like not too long ago; you needed a bag to carry one. Now, with almost everyone in possession of a cell phone, they are so small that they are easy to lose in your purse or even your pocket. The demand and the production process pushed the cell phone technology forward tremendously in only about 10 years. If we start using more alternative energy sources, companies will start competing like crazy to make ethanol, wind turbines, solar panels, etc. in a way that is better, more efficient and cheaper than others in order to make a profit. In my opinion, there will come a time when the government won't have to be so actively involved in promoting alternative sources; the momentum of the market will take hold. Of course, let's hope that in the drive to produce certain alternative energy like ethanol, companies won't increasingly resort to highly polluting ways to do this, such as the tire-burning energy source I mentioned in a prior blog.

When Senator Lugar expressed his interest in the bill mandating utilities to derive a percentage of energy from renewable sources, Vectren (a utility in the midwest) opposed it, saying that we should use plentiful coal until market forces show a demand for renewables. Yet, how will market forces drive renewables forward if the government doesn't show any commitment to them? The government should get the ball rolling so that technology and the free market system can then grab the ball and keep running with it. Otherwise, utilities will simply cling to coal, oil, and other fossil fuels until there is no more supply. Then we will be turning to alternatives not in a gradual manner where technology can improve and perfect the process over years for using these sources, but in complete desperation. I would prefer the former to the latter.