Is America Losing the Biggest Races?


Those Darn Socialist Europeans

If you've been paying attention to what the Right has to say negatively about almost anything we're trying to get done in American, you have heard the word "Socialist" about a thousand times. The Stimulus, health reform, energy independence, environmental progress, education... on and on ... it's ALL Socialism! Just like Europe!

Well, in area after area, those darn Socialists are kicking our butts.

Take a look:

VAST SOLAR PROJECT IN THE SAHARA DESERT TO PUMP ELECTRICITY TO EUROPE







This huge project linking solar power from the Sahara to energy users in Europe and North Africa could create 240,000 German jobs and generate 2 trillion euros ($2,822 billion) worth of power by 2050,executives from blue chip companies such as Siemens, E.ON, RWE and Switzerland's ABB along with firms from southern Europe and northern Africa will be at the inaugural meeting.

Energy groups plan for European 'super-grid
'





An ambitious plan for an electricity “super-grid” in the North Sea will be launched in London on Monday by a group of 10 leading European companies.

Such a super-grid connecting the UK, Germany and Norway is expected to cost €34bn ($46bn, £30bn).

The Friends of the Super-grid group, which includes Siemens and Hochtief of Germany, Areva of France and Prysmian of Italy, said the project would make it possible to develop high volumes of offshore wind power in the North Sea and reduce electricity prices.

The super-grid would also distribute the power from the Sahara.


And Just about Siemens...(one of the "friends of the super grid")

German industrial giant Siemens is sharpening its focus on solar energy as it anticipates a €6bn ($8.3bn) shot in the arm to its environmental division, thanks to green-minded government (German) stimulus packages.

CEO Löscher expects to see white-hot sales of Siemens' wind turbines and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity transmission lines over the next few years, which are being snapped up to link Europe’s growing network of offshore wind farms to onshore grids.



















You might remember that I am a big fan of burying our local distribution power lines. But transporting gigawatts calls for new transmission technology. High Voltage DC (direct current) is where it's (going to be) at. Smaller towers, fewers wires, more efficiency... stuff like that. Know of any HVDC projects in your area?

Point Is...

Why aren't our biggest companies teaming up to create an American super-grid? Why isn't HVDC springing up all over? Why are our Tea Party types not raising hell for progress and American jobs instead of just drooling over rotten "Socialism" (when I suspect many of them are not even sure what it really is)?

Super Grid graphic:

Comments

Duff said…
Excellent point Duff. I think that the influence of the largest US based oil companies in government as well as that of the utility and other vested interests is keeping the US from forming and implementing the type of massive Green R&D and subsidy programs that could make the US energy independent and provide some real job growth in sustainable growth areas.

We piddle and diddle with small programs. We need a plan that is about 1/4th size of Pentagon expenditures to ramp up the US green energy machine and rebuild the US energy and communications infrastructure to make the US competitive. Sometimes it seems like foreign competitive interests have as much influence in Congress as the huge oil companies and they probably don't want to awaken the sleeping giant of US manufacturing know how and productivity in the emerging market of Green technology.

The system is very sick right now in my opinion. Great article!!!!

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