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Every seed takes time to germinate.
So too in the fields of the soul.
We must never give up and sow
because the results do not
immediate to our eyes.
Let us wait with patience.
In the right moment, the seeds
have driven in the soil of hearts,
there will produce mature fruit.
Understanding and sow Joy, Peace and
Courage, Forgiveness and Love.
Jesus bless you have a good nigh
Send a Hello Scrap Today
27FEB09
Honorable Speaker of the House Congresswoman Pelosi,
I am an Electronic Technician Chief in the US Navy with 27 years service stationed overseas. I’m outlying an idea to assist and work with current plans for achieving energy independence. I urge you, as speaker of the house and the driving force to form the select committee on energy independence and global warming, consider for discussion and introduction into the house US Treasury Savings Bonds for Energy Independance.
In WWII America sold war bonds supporting the war effort. When young, my mother told me her primary school raised enough money through bonds to build a tank to support troops. I am impressed with the patriotism and purpose of our greatest generation that accomplished so much.
Selling energy bonds for RE (Renewable Energy) development would lower foreign oil imports and assist with the complex problem of funding. Bonds sold as “Energy S” could support new solar trough plants, “Energy W” to support wind farms, Energy “H” to support hydroelectric plants, Energy “T” to support RE transportation such as electric bullet train routes powered by RE, Energy "C" COOPS for small communities only needing a small quantity of turbines, and Energy “I” for needed infrastructure high voltage power lines to the RE site. Bonds will have the project name and include an artist’s perspective of the project and an American flag. President Obama had great success with the internet during his campaign. In a similar manner, using the internet, energy bonds could have a website listing current projects and an “electronic checkout” could purchase a bond $25 or higher. Simpler methods of payment such as “PAYPAL” and credit cards would be available and after an electronic purchase is complete a color print out of the bond is available with a follow up of the bond in the mail. The website would limit quantity of projects for each category until funding is complete. After a project becomes funded, a new project will be available. A tab on the site will show history and status of previous projects. Purchasers may take great pride in “collecting” and displaying bonds of various RE projects and participating at different levels of financial support. Solar trough plants in the multi-hundred MW size capacity with molten salt energy storage in California, Arizona, and West Texas can provide a major portion of electric needs. North Dakota has potential to support 1/3 of our nations electric needs in it’s class 4 wind zone areas. There are plenty of suitable proposed wind turbine farms now around the nation to significantly increase our RE if funded. Mid sized hydro-electric has not been used in America to it’s full potential. Following the example of our neighbor, Canada, it would provide a significant increase in percentage of electric production. Developing all three we could provide the majority of our electric and heating needs through renewable energy in a "New New Deal" fashion allowing natural gas for transportation as T. Boone Pickens is working for. Bullet train routes have proven a viable alternative to commercial domestic air service and when powered by electricity provided by RE suppliers America would be in the forefront of world technology. Example, I heard of discussion for a commuter train from Denver to Colorado Springs. Such a route built as a renewable energy project with charter requirement legally requiring to only purchase electricity from available renewable energy sources would be a model example. There are many train routes, city bus systems, and government vehicles that can be converted to run from alternative energy sources and fuels. Jobs created would bolster the economy, lower trade deficit, and strengthen national security. I would take great pride in print outs of bonds with graphics of each project I supported and many other Americans would also. The energy bonds could have tax breaks. BLM lands may be a viable place to start for some projects.
I contacted the US treasury department and was told that the marketing department for savings bonds closed several years ago. I was told there would be problems because savings bonds are at the federal level while the projects will be at the state and local level. I disagree and believe that these can easily be figured out in the way of grants to the state and local level using money from the bonds for those specific projects. I was told to check out auctions on the www.treasurydirect.gov website and found them to not apply to citizens wanting to buy savings bonds to support a cause such as energy independance. I was told by the treasury department to look into CREB (Clean Renewable Energy Bonds). I found CREB to be large scale funding that a citizen would not be able to participate in as a US Treasury Energy Independance Bond would provide. If given the tools to participate directly, the power of the citizens of the United States to help achieve energy independance could not be denied. Americans mean well and the Energy Independance Savings bond program will give citizens the power at their level to make it happen. If marketed through a web page, commercials, and to federal employees the word would get out and participation would spread like wildfire.
Mr. Paul Gipe, a resident of Bakersfield CA, an author of several books about wind energy, and recipient of multiple awards as a pioneer in the industry since the 1970's has put a letter I wrote to Senator Dorgan on this subject as well as an older letter I wrote on wind COOP in JAN07. These websites are:
http://www.wind-works.org/coopwind/RenewableEnergyBondsforEnergyIndependence.html
and
http://www.wind-works.org/articles/AmericanEnergyIndependencethroughCooperativeInvestmentinWindEnergy.html
Sincerely and very respectfully,
ETC(SW/AW) Mike Kendall USN
Mailing address: PSC 476, Box 879, FPO AP, 96322 USA
Telephone (803) 265-4756, Email: ke6cvh@yahoo.com
That said, both are chemical compounds and often times energy can be derived from reactions between chemical compounds so it is just a matter of what you do with the material in question.
Kelly Zito
Friday, August 15, 2008
After a recent layoff ended his 20-year construction career, Javier Hernandez turned to what appears to be one of the rare sunny spots in an otherwise murky economy. Literally.
This summer, amid soaring U.S. fuel prices and increasing worldwide focus on global warming, Hernandez, 63, took the kind of step presidential hopefuls, low-income advocates and Silicon Valley tech lords dream about: He enrolled in a solar panel installation class at San Jose City College.
"We are definitely destroying our planet, and if we destroy the planet, we're destroying ourselves," said Hernandez, who lives in Sunnyvale and considers himself an environmentalist. "Hopefully, I'm going to find a good job after I finish this course, and I can get more experience and eventually bring this technology to (Mexico)."
From a political and economic view, much has been made about "green-collar" jobs. They are "clean" and in the renewable energy arena, are not as likely to go overseas, and could bolster a country hemorrhaging industrial, blue-collar jobs, the argument goes.
But there remains a wide gap between the projected demand for solar, wind and geothermal energy and the expertise necessary to make, install and sell the systems.
That's where Hernandez's class comes in.
He and about 20 others took the second class in solar installation ever offered at San Jose City College. Two evenings a week, the group is learning their way around terms like "photovoltaic modules" (solar panels) and "power inverters" (which convert electricity from direct current to alternating current). During half-day lab classes on Saturdays, they get to design, put together and dismantle systems with their own hands. All for $20 per credit, or $80.
The new green-collar classes - some variations are offered at other community colleges around the Bay Area, such as Cabrillo College - grew out of talks that began two years ago between the education establishment and Silicon Valley's growing solar industry. Eventually, the group was named Solar Tech, and it set out several objectives. Along with streamlining the building permit, utility connection and state rebate systems, the group aimed at advanced training.
Filling the need
Tom McCalmont is the chief executive of Solar Tech and founder of REgrid Power, a Campbell solar design and installation firm. According to a survey by the group, there are currently between 6,900 and 8,000 solar industry workers in the nine-county Bay Area - far short of the 20,000 to 40,000 projected to be needed over the next decade.
"That's a huge need," McCalmont said. "And the nice thing about these jobs is they are green-collar jobs - the types of stable, middle-class jobs that we haven't had in the Bay Area for a number of years now. We have low-paid service jobs or highly paid white-collar jobs."
Roughly speaking, a starting solar panel technician earns up to $19 per hour - about $40,000 per year. Within a couple of years, that can go up to as much as $35 per hour - or nearly $73,000 annually, McCalmont said. Classrooms have primarily focused on solar training because wind, geothermal energy and other sources aren't as widespread and have fewer local businesses.
Savings for home projects
Like Hernandez, Marc Fontana is pursuing solar technology as a second career. Fontana, 52, worked as a software support engineer for Hewlett-Packard for 26 years. After taking early retirement in 2005, Fontana has been getting educated about renewable energy. He also volunteers with a program that puts solar arrays on low-income homes. Eventually, he may become a solar system designer or a HERS rater - someone who uses technology like infrared sensors and blowers to evaluate the energy efficiency of homes and businesses. HERS stands for home energy rating system.
Recently, he installed a 2,500-watt solar system on his own house - another reason some take solar installation classes. Between generous rebates from his local utility, tax credits and savings from his own labor, the system cost him $2,500 - a tenth of the cost of a typical system.
"You won't find a lot of people who can do that because I did the installation myself and I took advantage of the best (local rebate) system in the state," he said.
Rebate deadlock
Though the popularity of renewable energy systems is expected to soar, there are some factors clamping down on the industry's recent growth.
Congress is deadlocked over whether to renew federal tax credits for wind and solar systems for homes and businesses. Though the credits - which max out at $2,000 for residential customers - have helped bolster the industry, they are set to expire at the end of this year. While the House has proposed funding the credits by ending tax subsidies for oil companies and closing a tax loophole for hedge fund managers, Republicans have rejected the ideas, arguing they are stealth tax increases.
As a result, it has been challenging for some recent local graduates to find jobs. Educators who hope to expand renewable energy training classes hope it's just a hiccup. But they are staying in close touch with the industry to tailor classes and curricula during troubled economic times.
"I don't want to flood the market with graduates who can't find jobs," said Kathy Werle, dean of applied sciences at San Jose City College. "Right now we're waiting to see if people get more state and federal incentives. If that happens, there will be growth. But if it doesn't happen... people won't be willing to spend $25,000 on solar systems for their homes."
- Kelly Zito kzito@sfchronicle.com
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/15/BA1C125J23.DTL
http://push.pickensplan.com/group/greenjobsnow
Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) is a patented technology where travel occurs without air friction or rolling resistance (like “Space Travel on Earth”); ETT can accomplish 50 times more transportation per kWh (or carbon credit) than electric cars or trains. ETT is silent, low cost, safe, faster than jets, and is electric so it can make maximum use of wind or PV power. I invite you to visit my page to learn more about ETT
Southeast & Gulf Coast "HOPE for America"
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Thanks so much
Grandpa AL
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