The Energy Crisis

Here is another potential failure of the American educational system. There are currently about 20,000 employed by the Wind Power industry, and there should be that Many being turned out every year, as it takes two technicians to service every 7-10 turbines. There is equally much Engineering skill which must be brought to the industry, in order that 90% of the maintenance can be done from the ground; a matter of Safety and expansion of the number of turbines per technician. Massive Recruitment remains a Need in the industry, as the majority of current Employees will be in Supervisory capacities within three years, if they are not drafted away by easier Utility employment. I would like to see a program where Military Combat Engineering included a promise of Training in Wind Power generation, which could serve as an excellent source of domestic labor and cut down Military base power generation Costs; understand that the Military always comes in with the sturdiest effective equipment, after a period of Screw-Ups.

Here is another article on the same Subject, but has a poor slant to it; insisting as it does the need for vast Federal underwriting of the enterprises. It states that the Wind generation industry last year employed about 45,000 people with a Capitalization of $9 billion. One estimate in the article says that Wind generation could employ a half-million by 2030, while elsewhere it was stated that solar power generated 314 megawatts last year capable of powering 80,000 homes. The major Question must be asked: Would it not be cheaper and more viable to have a half-million employed by these industries by 2010, with $9 billion of Capital invested in such Stock yearly. The industry can easily be financed by the higher Costs of alternative Power generation, without real federal subsidies, and would be more industrially effective with mass Production methods utilized in the construction of the new industry.

Tax Credits are not the most viable Option to engage massive industry. It is actually destructive of Effort when industry limits their Investment to sole maximization of the Tax Credit potential. An alternate Scenario would be to pass a Surtax (I like them) of 20% on all Energy Profits, unless 14% of those Profits have been directed to Alternate Energy Capital Investment. A simple Case of ‘Establish the Alternative Energy industry, else We will take your Profits’. I would additionally frighten the major Oil companies by charging an Oil Reserve Depreciation Tax equal to 9%, unless the Oil companies can come up with increasing Reserve capacity. We must establish an effective Energy program to survive the coming Years, and that Program cannot be attained by paying current Suppliers more for their Product, without achievement of long-term stability for the industry. lgl