WHAT CAN WE DO TO BECOME ENERGY INDEPENDENT?

What is the "GRID" and how can we use it to create energy independence?

The Grid is the electric distribution system in the United States.  Some of us have been fortunate to be able to buy the necessary equipment to use alternate energy, such as the sun, and live "Off The Grid."  While driving through Texas recently we saw an enormous "WIND FARM"  Texas isn't the only place with lots of wind.  Much of the United States has wind that is sufficient for economical production of electricity.

An idea that struck Bob several years ago when he and Jennifer were choosing the name of their company. The idea is that the whole United States is covered with another grid.  That grid is the 160,000 miles of our Interstate highway system.  See map below.

Wind Power Projects   Delaware Mountain Wind Farm       Owner:     American National Wind Power Size:     30 MW Location:    Culberson County, Texas Installed: 1999 American National Wind Power is a subsidiary of National Wind Power. This wind farm is National Wind Power's (NWP) first project in Texas and is located in Culberson County, northeast of the town of Van Horn in West Texas. The ranch on which it is built is used for raising cattle and deer and is also the site of the West Texas Wind Farm Power Project, Picture this on an interstate median!

This "GRID" covers almost all of the major cities of the country.  The land is already owned by government, state or federal.  The right of ways on most of the divided highways are now 'energy sinks' that take fuel for grass mowing, and produce nothing.  Let this GRID produce Electricity, non polluting, and support President Bush's energy independence plan, mentioned 7 times in State of the Union messages. 

This EXISTING INTERSTATE GRID of median strip land could locate hundreds of thousands of wind turbines.  A project (above) in Texas' Culberson County is ON LINE generating 30 MEGAWATTS of power, with no pollution.  Picture that multiplied by 10,000!

• Advantages: 
• The land is already owned, and serves all important urban centers.
• Oil dependency on foreign (middle east) oil could be cut, COMPLETELY.
• A conservative estimate of one million jobs in manufacturing, construction, installation, transportation, and maintenance of this NEW electricity grid could be produced IN AMERICA.  Not outsourced.
• With abundant (limited only by the investment) energy, excess electricity could be used to desalinate water and pump it to drought stricken areas.
• Energy could be converted into HYDROGEN (electrolysis of water creates hydrogen and oxygen) which when burned produces water again. Hydrogen can be stored for times when more energy is needed.   Clean and pollution free.
• We as Americans can show the world the way to end oil addiction. 
• The possibility that global warming IS related to fossil fuel burning, can be directly addressed by switching energy sources.
• The creation of jobs locally would improve our economy in a comparable scale to that which the Eisenhower Interstate System itself helped to boost our economy.
• We have proposed this to the Department of Energy, and received no reply.  If you like the idea, contact your Congressional elected officials.  HERE
• Disadvantages?
• Can't think of any, if you can, please CONTACT US