| The Germans have really taken off when it comes | | | | will additionally have as a major focal point |
| to renewable fuel sources, and have become one of | | | | technological innovations for converting heavy |
| the major players in the alternative energy game. | | | | hydrocarbons into pollution-free and highly efficient |
| Under the aegis of the nation's electricity feed laws, | | | | fuels. |
| the German people set a world record in 2006 by | | | | Also in the US, the battle rages on between |
| investing over $10 billion (US) in research, | | | | Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association |
| development, and implementation of wind turbines, | | | | (GEA). The GEA's Executive Director Karl Gawell has |
| biogas power plants, and solar collection cells. | | | | recently written to the Congress and the |
| Germany's “feed laws” permit the German | | | | Department of Energy, the only way to ensure that |
| homeowners to connect to an electrical grid through | | | | DOE and OMB do not simply revert to their irrational |
| some source of renewable energy and then sell back | | | | insistence on terminating the geothermal research |
| to the power company any excess energy produced | | | | program is to schedule a congressional hearing |
| at retail prices. | | | | specifically on geothermal energy, its potential, and |
| This economic incentive has catapulted Germany | | | | the role of federal research. |
| into the number-one position among all nations with | | | | Furthermore, Gawell goes on to say that recent |
| regards to the number of operational solar arrays, | | | | studies by the National Research Council, the |
| biogas plants, and wind turbines. The 50-terawatt | | | | Western Governors' Association Clean Energy Task |
| hours of electricity produced by these renewable | | | | Force and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| energy sources account for 10% of all of Germany's | | | | all support expanding geothermal research funding to |
| energy production per year. In 2006 alone, Germany | | | | develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast, |
| installed 100,000 solar energy collection systems. | | | | untapped domestic renewable energy resource. |
| Over in the US, the BP corporation has established an | | | | Supporters of geothermal energy, such as this writer, |
| Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) to spearhead | | | | are amazed at the minuscule amount of awareness |
| extensive new research and development efforts | | | | that the public has about the huge benefits that |
| into clean burning renewable energy sources, most | | | | research and development of the renewable |
| prominently biofuels for ground vehicles. BP's | | | | alternative energy source would provide the US, both |
| investment comes to $50 million (US) per year over | | | | practically and economically. |
| the course of the next decade. | | | | Geothermal energy is already less expensive to |
| This EBI will be physically located at the University of | | | | produce in terms of kilowatt-hours than the coal that |
| Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University is in | | | | the US keeps mining. Geothermal energy is readily |
| partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for | | | | available, sitting just a few miles below our feet and |
| research and development of new biofuel crops, | | | | easily accessible through drilling. One company, Ormat, |
| biofuel-delivering agricultural systems, and machines to | | | | which is the third largest geothermal energy producer |
| produce renewable fuels in liquid form for automobile | | | | in the US and has plants in several different nations, |
| consumption. The University will especially spearhead | | | | is already a billion-dollar-per-year |
| efforts in the field of genetic engineering with regard | | | | business—geothermal energy is certainly |
| to creating the more advanced biofuel crops. The EBI | | | | economically viable. |