It may seem like a old idea, but it is still a good idea. Innovation is a hundred times better than governmental solutions. Proof of this has recently come across my desk as I reviewed the latest wind turbine ideas. A Massachusetts company called FlowDesign has recreated the problematic large-bladed wind turbine concept. This is proof of the fundamental idea that private industry needs encouragement rather than more regulation.
We might note that even the renown T Boone Pickens has all but abandon the great wind turbine project that he so heartily championed a year ago. The good idea relied on the belief that these huge windmills would produce large amounts of “free energy.” The cost of installation and the ongoing operational costs made this project unfeasible. The late-arriving realization is that they huge windmills are costly, unsightly, and not very efficient.
I had long said that the windmill solution is the problem child of the alternative energy sector because it has so many downsides. Windmills can be noisy, visually unattractive, liability threats, and costly to install. Also, they do not work in light wind and cannot operate in high winds. This leaves a smaller window for energy production. Lastly, we must consider the actual energy conversion. Wind power, as much as we like the idea, is not as simple a solution as it sounds.
FlowDesign has adapted the traditional windmill to something that resembles jet engine technology. The unit is smaller, allows wider wind speed margins, and is more efficient in energy production. You have to ask, why we spent so many million (or billions) on a solution that seems like a flashback to the Dutch windmill era?
The same question can be applied to the GFL bulb that has minute amounts of mercury in the bulb. We know that the disposal of millions of these bulbs creates yet another ecological hazard. The better solution seems to be the LED lights that are nearly large scale application. Organic LED adds greater reason to put this on the fast track for broad application.
Finally, I have to ask why are we still chasing ethanol from corn? The logic is quickly lost as we realize that it takes food out the of the system to generate fuel for our cars. The obvious genius of hydrogen power calls for a Manhattan-like project to make hydrogen cheap to produce. Thinking of fuel from water is simply too good to bypass.
As we face en energy crisis in the foreseeable future, the government’s penchant for throwing money at pet projects, pork barrel dead ends, and faulty ideas should stop. I advocate that the smart money should go to create tax incentives and funding for smart technology that will break the back of the the ugly issues threatening our livelihood on many levels. The current administration has already eclipsed the spending mania of past presidents. Congress has passed budgetary bills that had made our national debt a nightmare, and the public voice seems lost on those we voted into power. This frustration should lead to a mid-term election change where Americans will speaks their mind.
What is needed is not more regulation, taxation, and misguided solutions; but the smart kind of solutions that will take our country to the leaders of the Green technology and innovation. With the loss of manufacturing jobs and the large unemployment rate now hurting our economy, it is time to take a strong leadership position with great ideas that will make our country better, not poorer. I sincerely hope that we see more innovation like the ideas coming from FloDesign.
Any company looking to radically improve their Green IQ should work toward their Green business certification by contacting the Green Business League. If any firm wishes to send their in-house staff to Green Officer Training, consider an upcoming three day training event. In other words, let’s take on the challenge as smart business and do not wait for legislation to make a needful task into a loathsome and expensive burden.