by Bohdan Rewko (Bo of T.O.)

Created on: November 18, 2011

In the great energy debate it has become all too easy to get caught up in emotion as we pit nature and the environment against the needs and wants of mankind. Despite impassioned pleas to save the planet, economics wins out because most people's survival instinct trumps any well-meaning but disputable arguments involving computer models and the earth's changing stratosphere. After all, we survived the industrial revolution and are living considerably longer. Nor do we hear any more about 'Hubbard's peak' and the time when he predicted the world would max out on its oil reserves. Even as this article is being written there is probably another pool of oil or natural gas being discovered. So what is real and what is not in the power struggle for how we energize the world of tomorrow?

One thing we know for certain is that we're paying with our health for the fossil fuel dependent lifestyles we lead. We might not be breathing the pea soup air of Victorian England, but that doesn't mean we are not bothered by asthma and other disorders attributable to our toxified environments. Still we rationalize that there will always be a tradeoff between living a comfortable life and experiencing the deleterious effects of technology.

Financial hardship is perhaps what people fear most about our new renewable energy technologies that promise a cleaner environment. We have a rather fuzzy picture of the future and our need for a stricter renewable energy policy. The adoption of 'cap and trade' can only cause financial stress if pursued. Still most people recognize, at least in principle, that the price for not pursuing new technology will ultimately be much higher than doing so. But what is missing is a true evaluation involving our electricity bills over the next ten years. Some may think it is like choosing between two new cars, but it is more like purchasing a new car versus maintaining an old clunker that continues to break down and burn oil. This is where government analysts need to sharpen their pencils in giving us the real story and telling us how to best respond with the least pain.

In the field of renewable energy solar power seems to have the most promise around the world. There is an ongoing battle to find a cheaper way to produce photovoltaic panels that will make them competitive with other means of electricity generation. If this happens it will change everything, but if not, should we abandon the photovoltaic option? Is there's more to be considered?

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