| History is slowly being made. A few years ago, | | | | produce than energy from fossil fuel sources, |
| and for the first time, the U.S. Senate included a | | | | preventing it from becoming a serious contender |
| "renewable energy" requirement for utilities in its | | | | in the area of "green" energy. |
| energy bill. Unexciting as this may appear at first | | | | Wind-power is also being considered by JEA, with |
| glance, the bill, after passing the House, required | | | | the hope of building a wind-turbine farm along |
| most utility companies that now generate power | | | | Florida's gusty topographies. But the utility may |
| by burning fossil fuels to produce 10% of their | | | | face opposition to this technology as well, believe |
| power from "renewable," or "green" sources such | | | | it or not. In Massachusetts, for example, the |
| as solar energy, wind, geothermal wells, methane | | | | Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound is fighting the |
| gas from landfills, and biomass from farms by the | | | | establishment of a 170-unit wind-turbine farm five |
| year 2020. Hydro-electric and nuclear energy | | | | miles off-shore, because they feel it would |
| sources were not included. | | | | "industrialize" the area, and therefore degrade |
| To date, only 14 states have had enough | | | | fishing, relaxation, and tourism. Senator Kennedy |
| foresight to adopt voluntary renewable energy | | | | supported the ban on wind-turbines in Nantucket |
| requirements for utilities, ranging from 1% in | | | | Sound, deeply disappointing vast numbers of his |
| Arizona to 30% in Maine. Those states should be | | | | long-time supporters who felt bitterly betrayed by |
| given the recognition they deserve, because being | | | | his position. |
| "green" is not as easy as it sounds. | | | | JEA is now looking into the possibility of planting |
| Consider JEA, the city-owned utility of Jacksonville, | | | | trees on its own land, followed by fertilization with |
| Florida that volunteered in 1998 to provide 7.5% | | | | sewage. This program has the double advantage |
| of its power by "green" energy sources within 20 | | | | of cleaning up local rivers while developing a |
| years. The utility's first foray into renewable | | | | source of wood chips that could be used to |
| energy began with Arundo donax, a bamboo-like | | | | produce power more cleanly than fossil fuel |
| plant. JEA contracted with Biomass Industries Inc. | | | | combustion. |
| of Gulf Breeze, Florida to grow 12,000 acres of | | | | Where wind is plentiful in coastal areas and |
| Arundo. The plan was to shred and compost the | | | | Midwestern states, perhaps wind power will turn |
| plant, producing methane gas that would be | | | | out to be the short-term winner in the race to |
| burned to provide very clean energy for | | | | produce clean energy. It is quiet, 100% |
| consumers at a price competitive with coal. | | | | pollution-free, and already able to compete with |
| The very organizations expected to support the | | | | fossil fuels on a cost basis. Apparently, more |
| Arundo project turned out to be its antagonists. | | | | people need to view high-tech wind turbines as an |
| Environmental groups were worried that Arundo, | | | | interesting and aesthetically pleasing technology. |
| a fast-growing plant native to the Mediterranean, | | | | Once the costs have come down, solar energy |
| would endanger Florida's indigenous vegetation. | | | | may come into its own. If utilities can find suitable |
| Florida's Sierra Club chapter asked JEA not to | | | | plants that don't offend local environmental |
| cultivate any more of the plant. | | | | groups, biomass may also make significant |
| One might think that Florida, with its abundance of | | | | contributions to clean energy. There are many |
| sunshine, could rely on solar energy to provide a | | | | people who feel that the pieces of the |
| significant share of pollution-free energy. It would, | | | | clean-energy puzzle are here and that we need to |
| if not for the fact that solar energy research and | | | | figure out how to put them together. The biggest |
| development has not been given the attention it | | | | long-term winners will be the environment and the |
| deserves in the U.S., with the result that energy | | | | quality of life derived from cleaner air, water, and |
| produced from solar technologies, even in sunny | | | | soil. |
| states like Florida, costs 10 times more to | | | | |