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Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-07-11, 21:45

In many places in the US, we now have the option of requesting that our electrical bill be applied towards purchasing electricity produced by green(er) means. In Vermont, there's a new program just announced called Cow Power, using methane from cow dung from dairy farms. Cost is about 4 cents extra per kWH, and it's becoming quite popular.

Now here's the kicker - in a lot of areas, the rising petroleum prices have made it so that the green(er) sources are *cheaper* currently than the traditional sorts - but there's only a small amount available. People are noticing however, and starting to gripe to their electrical providers to explain why they can't get more cheap charge. Investors are noticing as well, and starting to pump money into green(er) sources. I love it.

There are no silver bullets, (and no truly 100% green sources) but an intelligent balance of sources that are appropriate for particular regions is necessary. As has been pretty well proven by now, single source dependence is simply unworkable in the long term. Nuclear is, I firmly believe, a workable *piece* of the puzzle. Whether at 5%, or 95%, or anywhere in between, is up to the local needs, but it should fit in there somewhere. It's too good a source to discard completely.

Last edited by Kickaha : 2006-07-11 at 21:56.
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