Green Energy Technology - No More Excuses Now is the Time

Regardless of whether you believe in climate change (global warming) or not, turning our attention to green energy technology to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is a smart thing to do. The industrial revolution of the 18^th century began in 1733 in England. Ely Whitney's cotton gin and Robert Fulton's steam powered engine set in motion a changing tide that led to more advances in technology that grew business during the industrial revolution . Each one grander than those that came before. A natural progression that opened the eyes of would be inventors and thinkers of the time to what could be possible. Without vision, society stands still. Without trying to overcome challenges, society risks wallowing in the status quo and are in danger of being held hostage by those unwilling or those who have no desire for change.

We are at the crossroads of such a period in time. New and exciting advancements in green energy technology that can transform last centuries old ways into better, more efficient ways of powering the world. Another step forward in our responsibility to balance out our carbon footprint with nature. Green energy technology is at our doorstep for those with vision. Fears of climate change, peak oil speculation, the high price of gas and our dependence for oil from countries who take our money as they burn the American flag have created a revolution to move society to the next evolution in the chain of energy progression.

Researching and developing green energy technology in reality has nothing to do with climate change, peak oil or the high price of gas. Even though these concerns are real and valid, they are nothing more than excuses from those trying to convince the rest of us why we should or shouldn't invest in new types of energy. We can divide into two groups, for and against, and fight about climate change until the cows come home as to which side is right. By the time the bickering ends, we may very well find out who won the debate with no time to reverse our mistakes. Common sense would point to error on the side of caution. We all suffer the consequences if the critics against climate change are wrong. We need to develop green energy because it's the right thing to do and the right time to do it. We don't need any excuses to move into a new realm of possibilities.

Green energy technology taps into the natural energy provided to us by the very planet we share. It's to all of our advantage to create energy that's clean, earth friendly and cheaper than our current energy sources. Solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal technology that will take the 21^st century into the next generation of advances yet to be seen. Green energy technology has the potential to bring new life and prosperity to poorer countries who have lagged behind the rest of the world as well as transform polluted air into a cleaner and healthier environment to live, play and work in.

Geothermal technology is one possible green energy that hasn't garnered a lot of attention. Humans have been utilizing geothermal energy in North America for 10,000 years. People during the late 1800's first began piping water from hot springs into homes. Today, six western states, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico have groups working together to find and erase challenges in the development of geothermal green energy technology to find solutions that will benefit us all.

The Geysers is 30 square miles of geothermal (hot springs) activity in the Mayacamas Mountains 72 miles north of San Francisco. This area supports the largest geothermal power plant company in the world and generates enough energy to power 725,000 homes. The Geysers has been producing geothermal energy for 47 years. Twenty-two power plants are positioned along this hot bed of steam and more power plants located in the Imperial Valley and Coso Hot Springs are expected to be brought on line in the future. Today, The Geysers generate 20% of geothermal green energy for California and produce 40% of the steam powered energy in the country.

William Bell Elliot is a surveyor who discovered The Geysers by accident in 1847. As the story goes, he was chasing a grizzly bear when an errant move sent him over a cliff. Hanging on for dear life, he looked below him and discovered to his horror a sight he later described as looking into the gates of Hell.

Geothermal green energy has been under the radar for many years. Adding this technology to wind, solar and hydroelectric show the possibilities just around the corner in a new future with clean energy that's renewable and earth friendly.

Our time is now to set in motion the green energy resources that will be used to power the world in the future. Anger swirled across the country in 1973 when OPEC refused to export oil to the west. Their way to punish us and other countries for our support for Israel. We can break the energy chain around our necks put there by oil producing countries once and for all by investing in green energy technologies that are cheaper, cleaner and abundant. Going green will require commitment from all of us. No one energy source will free us from foreign oil. It will take a combination of what nature has provided with solar, wind, hydro power or geothermal being utilized in specific areas where they can prosper. A will to march forward into a new tomorrow powered with the energy of the future.

A History of Geothermal Energy in the United States, U.S. Department of Energy

The Mideast Oil Crisis, Energy Matters

The Geysers, Calpine