Apr 19 2008

More Green Leads to Less Green Spent Posted by Angela Baker in wind farms, green energy

We are at a point in our economy where everything related to money seems to be on the rise.  Energy costs have not escaped this increase; in fact, thanks to the fact that crude oil has risen to $115 per barrel, operating anything that requires this form of energy causes a ghastly expense for consumers.  It is almost not an exaggeration that people go to work just to make money to pay for the cost it takes to get to work.  Individuals are attempting to brainstorm on ways to reduce automobile travel to the point where summer vacations may have to be put on the back burner.  Speaking of summer, it is going to be an even hotter one when the usual comfort of running the air conditioner now looks like more of a luxury to those who simply do not have the money to partake in its soothing effects.

So, what can be done to compensate for the dent in the wallet that current energy costs create?  Going "green" diminishes the reliance consumers currently have on the mounting fuel costs.  Through the unearthing of alternate sources of energy, the necessity currently required to power some of the most basic things, such as heating and homes and driving vehicles, is shifted to sources that not only save money, but also save deterioration of the environment. 

Less than 5 years ago, it was almost more costly to turn to renewable energy as a viable power source.  The cost required to build wind farms and other resources such as this outweighed the cost of the run of the mill fuel being used.  However, the rises over that time span have been astronomical.  Now it is to the point where green energy has become a feasible and practical option.  In 2004, the compared price of wind electricity to the traditional oil-based electricity was already at a large margin.  Wind electricity cost around 4.2 cents per kilowatt hour at that time, while oil was over twice that at 9.1 cents.  As oil prices have continued to rise, this margin has continued to grow. 

While there has always been the worry of oil and natural gas depleting as time goes by, wind has always been an element that continues to be widely available.  Whether the concerns of depletion in regards to oil and natural gas are founded, one thing is for sure.  If prices continue to rise as they have been doing, there will be plenty to go around because no one will be able to afford to buy it.  Not to bank on the consistency of the power source of wind, however, would be absurd. 

The federal government also assists in encouraging a greener environment.  With the tax credits currently available, more money is saved by going green.  In addition, grants are available for small businesses in rural areas to improve their energy efficiency through the purchase of renewable energy systems.  These credits and grants help individuals and businesses save more in their efforts to transition to renewable energy.