WINDPOWER

WINDPOWER

The following is a letter to son Bill, but what it says, I think is important for all of us.

Bill, I want to continue the discussion we had about future power sources. I listen to you promote atomic energy power and a few years ago, you would have had my unqualified agreement. But I want you to think a little bit beyond the box. When you argue that something is not economically the right way to go, you have to always keep in mind what developments in technology can do to the cost of anything. Think of the SAGE buildings like the one in Sioux City. That was state of the art, back when it was conceived. By the time it was being built, it was so far behind times, that most of these units, if they were used, it was only for the shortest time. Now you have more computer space in just one of your office machines, as fitted in that entire building. If you read Hot , Flat and Crowded, you would know this was one of the points he was driving home; keep oil prices up with a a platform under them, or guarantee a market for wind and solar and whatever kind of power, so they can afford to get going, and stand back. The developments that will happen will blow you away. Yes we will need a new power grid, but we need that anyway, and we need jobs right now, and we need to change our economy anyway from just a consumer economy, so what better way than to start focusing on what must be done, developing cheap and clean energy.

What got me thinking about all this today in particular, was listening to Science Friday on NPR, talking about windpower. It is the same thing we have been hearing from friend Herb for years. His credentials for development of new things goes back a lifetime, from the early radars, to the Dew Line, to the atomic bomb, and yes, even to windpower. He was part of the group that put in the first large windpower projects in California. Years ago he told us about light bulbs that were developed, that could save so much energy. This was at least ten years ago, and we are just beginning to see it happen. In places in Europe these bulbs are mandated, but we seem to drag our feet on everything. Not since World War 2 was thrust on us did we ever show how quickly we could get something done, literally the impossible, but it took a Pearl Harbor to shake us out of our lethargy.

Don't just listen to those who want to keep the status quo because it benefits them economically, start looking and thinking ahead to what is being developed so quickly it is hard to keep up. Your fast recharging of the batteries is one of those giant leaps forward, and there are so many new battery developments already up and over the horizon, that it is staggering.

So I am hoping you will take time to listen to this weeks Science Friday, you can get it on the internet, and maybe the talk of what is possible, and is happening with windpower will BLOW your mind away.