Home Power DIY

Man has been using wind power for centuries to sail their boats, grind their grain, and pump their water. The recent advancements in technology, and the recent prices of fossil fuels, have given way to the modern windmill. You can now use the wind to power your TV, microwave, computer, and even car.

Midwest’s skylines have received a massive makeover in the last few years. Windmills have been popping up all over the breadbasket, and with good reason. Gas and coal prices have gone through roof. Americans are looking for cheaper, cleaner ways to power our homes, businesses, and vehicles. Wind may just be the answer.

Wind is a constant. As with any renewable resource, you don’t have be concerned about running out of wind. There is no mining or drilling, and apart from the manufacturing and transportation windmills are pollutant free (which is a must unless we want to see “The After Tomorrow” to become reality).

You don’t have to worry about cloudy days, like you do with solar panels, or drought conditions, like you do with hydroelectricity. Windmills are relatively inexpensive compared to solar panels, and can be placed just about anywhere, on or offshore. In fact often THE BEST place for a windmill is in mountainous/ exposed regions where other power plants cannot be used due to strong winds.

I do not think wind is the only path on the road to energy independence. Each region of the world has its environmental strengths and weaknesses. For example, you wouldn’t put a solar farm near Seattle, or build a dam in Death Valley. I believe a mixture of windmills, solar panels, hydroelectric dams, and natural gas is the answer. Each region should play to its strengths, and the people of that region should push government and take charge by building these power plants.

The activities in the United States are controlled by two bodies of laws.  Federal laws encompass the activities which require uniform national regulations with a variety of exceptions.  States are also free to regulate some activities which do not conflict with federal activities in a legal sense. Details and limitations of these are a Constitutional Law analysis. 

Federal Government has created the following laws as a form of their mandate.  

1. Clean Air Act of 1970(as amended in 1990) -This legislation created incentives to reduce mobile sources of pollutants.
2. Alternate Motor Fuels Act of 1988 – This created what is known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy Credits(or CAFÉ)
3. Energy Policy Act of 1992 – This legislation required federal, state and alternate fuel provider fleets to build an inventory of alternate fuel vehicles.
4. Energy Policy Act of 2005 – This legislation emphasized the use of alternative fuels and the development of supporting infrastructure.
5. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 – This legislation introduced provisions to increase the supply of renewable fuel sources and to reach 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
6. Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 – This legislation enacted the provisions of Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008.

There are US Treaties which have an effect on energy usage such as the Kyoto Treaty. However, currently the United States have not ratified the Kyoto Treaty citing too costly for the US economy.   Currently there are widely debated discussion about implementing carbon pollution based taxing system on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  With sudden reduction in gasoline prices and severe downturn in US economy, it is yet to see any major alternative energy legislation to pass and implemented.