More and more these days we are hearing about alternative fuels, solar power, hydroelectricity and various other ways to power buildings, cars and homes without using oil or coal. This is obviously an important issue as we continue to fear that the oil we have will run out in our lifetime.
Even so, have you ever heard of any city or state official talking about turning a whole city into a power plant? If you haven’t yet, now you can say you have. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to set up a very radical source of energy: windmills. That’s right, windmills.
According to The New York Times, he wants to bring back New York’s roots from the days when it was called New Amsterdam and was full of Dutchmen who set up wind harnessing machines, such as are seen on New York’s city seal.
Bloomberg hopes to place these windmills on top of skyscrapers and bridges where they can get the most out of the wind.
Experts are doubtful, however, as to how profitable this operation would be. It is an extremely expensive and time consuming project. While it would relieve the city’s dependence on coal or gas powered electricity, it would only generate about 10 percent of the city’s electrical needs.
Anthony Pereira, chief executive of altPower, a company that develops solar and wind energy, said, “New York is really a solar city.” The city is usually nice and bright in the summer time when energy demands are at their highest, while the city is windiest in the winter when energy demands are lower. This renders windmills less practical as an energy source, but shows how solar energy could be used to better the city.
Whichever route New York decides to take, it will be a huge step forward. A city as large as that being powered by an alternative source will save money and help conserve our natural resources. Hopefully, other cities will see what New York is doing and make some strides of their own.
Can you imagine what this country would be like if nearly every major city used solar, wind or water power to supply at least some of their city’s energy? The way our world looks would change drastically.
The technology and resources we have to create alternative energy sources are seemingly endless, so why not do it? The hard part is getting people on board to new ideas. Change is difficult for many people, and they can be wary of doing things in a different way. Once we can get people to see the positive outcome alternative energy will have, however, it will be smooth sailing.
The costs for such an enormous undertaking would be large, but solar panels pay for themselves in just four years. Other alternative power sources may take a little longer, but it will eventually be worth the cost. There is so much space for solar panels across the nation, as well as good states for windmills (maybe not New York), and even swift rivers for hydroelectricity. We just have to utilize them.
It is important to protect our world’s natural beauty and wonders. Alternative power is one of the best ways that we can do that. It will take the minds of some brilliant scientists, perhaps even from our own Mississippi State, to continue to advance our knowledge of energy and what we can do to use the world around us.
With these new innovations we can better care for the animals and landscapes that are being threatened by our selfish needs for oil, coal and trees. Hopefully, we can all say how much we want to see the field of alternative energy continue to grow and come up with new solutions to our oil mess.Hannah Kaase is a sophomore majoring in animal and dairy science. She can be contacted at
[email protected].