\n <\/p>\n \n \n \nMichael G. Noll, President\n<\/p>\n
\n![](\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017ee8a6b8a5970d-pi.gif\")
<\/a>
\nFox News recently claimed that “solar won’t work in America because
\nit’s not as sunny as Germany”. Such statements are common for a
\nnetwork that has long lost its credibility. Unfortunately too many
\ntake such gibberish at face value. Thus columns like
\n
\n\u201cenvironmentalism or obstructionism?\u201d<\/a> are not
\nsurprising, but in the end it’s the facts that matter:\n<\/p>\n\n
\nheat waves, droughts, wild fires, etc., and while seawater levels
\nare rising, storms like hurricane Sandy become major threats
\n
\nto low lying areas along coast lines<\/a>.\n<\/li>\n
\ncarbon dioxide, resulting from the burning of fossil fuels,
\nespecially coal and oil.\n<\/li>\n
\ncapita emissions. The average US citizen produces three times more
\ncarbon dioxide than the average Chinese citizen.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\n
\ntoo many risks. Thus
\n
\nthe number of shutdown nuclear plants is rising<\/a>,
\nand most energy companies are investing in other forms of
\nenergy production to meet demands.<\/p>\n
\namounts of water and bears significant risks for people and the
\nenvironment. To quote
\n
\nMichael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club:<\/a><\/p>\n
\n![](\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017ee8a6b8b3970d-pi.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n\u201cFracking enjoys exemptions from parts of … the
\nClean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. If
\nfracking is so safe, why can’t the industry be held to the same
\nstandards as everyone else?\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n
\n![](\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017ee8a6b8b8970d-pi.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nAn immediately available source of energy is energy conservation
\nand efficiency (up to 30 percent). We are not only one of the
\nworld’s largest polluters, we are also one of its most wasteful
\nsocieties.\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n![](\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017ee8a6b8bf970d-pi.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nRenewable forms of energy like wind and solar don’t pollute, don’t
\nneed water, are cheaper than nuclear, and work. Germany already
\ncovers 20 percent of its electricity needs via wind and solar. That
\nnumber is projected to rise to 35 percent by 2020 and 65 percent by
\n2040. Perhaps Germany’s goals are too ambitious, but just imagine
\nwhat we could do as we receive 70 percent more solar radiation. Add
\nto that recent developments in the solar industry that allow us to
\nstore energy for times \u201cwhen the sun don’t shine\u201d, and
\n
\n![](\"\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017616da65ea970c-pi.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nthe future looks bright, even at night (see Gemasolar in Spain).\n<\/p>\n