Renewable energy comes into focus

Do you think your home energy bills are high? Here’s a news flash: The longer we stay hooked on fossil fuel, the worse it’s going to get.

You’ve heard the saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.” Drilling for more oil, digging for more coal or destroying more mountains, be they the Appalachians for their coal seams or the Rockies for their oil shale, is simply more of the same. Unfortunately, that is just what many of our elected leaders and the companies they listen to are calling for.

Using more coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy drives prices up. Using more renewable energy drives prices down. Do you think coal is the answer to cheap energy? Think again. Coal prices are skyrocketing.

Take Peabody Energy, the self-proclaimed largest, private-sector coal company in the world. It, or companies like it, would be a major supplier to the proposed coal plants in Ely and Mesquite. Peabody’s quarterly income and earnings per share are up more than 140 percent. According to Peabody Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce, changes are driving demand much higher across all coal markets and look to be very long-lived. He boasts that they are “just beginning to benefit” from higher prices and expect “significant earnings increases for many years to come.”

Boyce is not alone. Peabody President and Chief Commercial Officer Richard A. Navarre said, “Every coal market in the world has seen significant price increases.”

Simply put, coal will not provide us with affordable electricity to keep our homes comfortable.

According to the company’s recent press release, Peabody believes tight global supplies and strong demand will continue. This includes the Powder River Basin, which continues to set new records for pricing. Prices set for 2010 are already nearly double the current price. In addition, the company claims it has “significant leverage in a rising price environment.” One can only assume that it intends to use that “significant leverage” to significantly gouge the average homeowner while loading up the atmosphere with even more CO2.

It’s not surprising that the recent glut of misleading “clean coal” advertising is funded by companies like Peabody through the industry front group American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. It is spending tens of millions of dollars in an attempt to convince gullible homeowners that coal is the solution. Don’t buy into the hype. The world can’t afford to burn more coal and Nevadans soon won’t be able to afford the electricity it produces.

Nevadans benefit from permanent green jobs that strengthen our economy; not temporary brown jobs building antiquated coal plants that will only export more of our precious dollars out of state. There is another way — and this month there are several events planned that can help us learn about Nevada’s bright, green energy future. Yes, I am suggesting that average homeowners participate. We can’t leave it up to anyone else if we want long-term, affordable energy.

On Aug. 12, the U.S. Green Building Council, Nevada Chapter, will show a short but very informative film entitled “High Performance Building Perspective and Practice,” making the business case for building green. Thirteen LEED projects are profiled. This film features interviews with the business executives, developers, school administrators, government officials, building managers and design professionals who recognize the real benefits of going green. Visit the events page at www.usgbcnv.org for full details.

Then on Aug. 16, Solar NV will hold its annual “Nevada Renewable Energy Leadership Award” banquet and silent auction. This year’s event will honor Robert Boehm, distinguished professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for his valuable and important work on renewable energy systems and energy efficiency. Go to www.solarnv.org for more information.

The National Clean Energy Summit takes place Tuesday, Aug. 19, at the Cox Pavilion. This significant event will shape our energy future. The day-long agenda will feature President William Jefferson Clinton; Sen. Harry Reid; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; state Sens. Dina Titus and Randolph Townsend; Edward Mazria, founder of Architecture 2030 and the 2030 Challenge; Van Jones, founder and president of Green for All; plus many others. Details can be found at www.cleanenergysummit.org.

The 2008 UNLV Renewable Energy Symposium is Aug. 20. Focusing on renewable energy production in Nevada, the U.S. Southwest and renewable research projects nationwide, the event is intended for academics, policy makers, the private sector and the general public. Symposium admission is free but general registration is required. See http://osep.unlv.edu/Esy2008/ to find out more.

After attending the symposium, cruise over to the Solar NV meeting at Nevada Power. This nonprofit group holds regular monthly meetings every third Wednesday, informing the public about the benefits of renewable energy, including how to reduce or eliminate home energy bills. The 6 p.m. meetings are free and always informative.

And finally, for those who would like to take their renewable energy knowledge to new heights, Aug. 25 marks the first day of the fall semester class “Introduction to Solar Energy Utilization” at UNLV. Please visit www.solarnv.org for more information on this class or the monthly meetings.

Clearly, August is a month of exciting events promoting a sane energy future and a more diverse, stable economy. Will our energy future be affordable or deplorable? It is up to each of us to create the results. Building a brighter future is not a spectator sport but part of the active process of green living.

Steve Rypka is a green living consultant and president of GreenDream Enterprises, specializing in renewable energy, green building, alternative transportation and lifestyle choices for both residential and commercial clients. The company is committed to helping people live lighter on the planet. Rypka can be reached via e-mail at steve@greendream.biz. More information relating to this column is posted at www.greendream.biz.