Power to the people...wind that is

So i guess my idea of energy independence is a little different from our corporate govern..i mean, federal government.

If you read the following link, you'll notice immediately that you are appealed upon, in an unassuming manner to 'get on their side'. They tell you what you want to hear. Big Government taxes unfairly. Fossil fuels get big subsidies, renewable gets little. O.K. so we knew that, we like where this is heading.

http://www.newwindenergy.com/education/renewable-energy-basics/

But skim on down to where it says that renewables can only make up 25% of our energy needs. They then, sneakily endeavor to put the burden on us, by telling us to shell out money if we want to see more renewable. O.K., i won't kill the messenger here. If i want renewables, i can help foot the bill.

But 25% percent?? 25%????? What this little figure does is gives free reign to continue with fossil fuel subsidies. Fine, whatever, that is their prerogative i suppose. If they want to put the burden on us, so be it. Detroit is now in a position to open the doors to renewable energy. There is already the makings of laws that will allow Michigan to produce wind power locally and require utility companies to abide by the rate structure that would allow for selling power back into the grid (i'm a little hazy on the details, but that's not the point here). For what it's worth, the State of Michigan wants 20% renewables by...some random date when it won't even matter anymore...but the foot is in the door, so to speak.

So let's open the door, shall we. Let us privatize and localize our energy production. If Duke Energy, DTE or whoever, want us to pay for it and lay the burden on us to determine wether or not it is worth their time (Greencurrents anyone?) then we should happily oblige.

Hey, I even found a model ordinance on one of my links.

http://www.awea.org/smallwind/documents/modelzo.html

I'm not saying it can't be fine tuned, but that's not the point either here. The point here is that when we start talking about 'energy independence' it does not even skim over the infantile thought of a fossil fuel. That is soooo the Bronze age.

Edit - I know that this is a one time scenario due to extreme wind conditions, but there is hope! pffft 25%. http://www.enn.com/energy/article/33594