by Indiana Lee
Surely by now the importance of energy independence is clear. The United States has experienced disastrous power outages and fuel shortages one after another. These problems have been caused by various factors, from winter storms shutting down power grids to ransomware infecting a massive oil pipeline.
All these issues teach us a singular lesson: we need energy independence now.
What are the hurdles that complicate energy independence, and how can we overcome them? By exploring the issues, we can see how we can remove the barriers to energy independence.
Developing independent energy grids is expensive
Advocates for energy independence exist across the political spectrum. Still, everyone has different ideas for implementing a secure power grid outside of dependence on foreign trade or faulty systems.
However, the unfortunate reality surrounding all of these ideas is that energy independence is not exactly cheap. Even when we eliminate some of the red tape on producing more oil from states like Texas or North Dakota, we still run into high-cost business and large-scale risks.
The Colonial Pipeline ransomware hack was proof of exactly this. Bad actors can effectively infiltrate power systems and make American consumers pay for them.
Meanwhile…
We spend billions of dollars in subsidies to produce ethanol and biofuels that only provide a fraction of the fuel we need. Other renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal power are often economically unfeasible with the added drawback of unreliability.
When you consider that it costs approximately $2 million per kilometer of transmission line to develop a power grid, it’s clear that the overhead expenses of energy independence present the real barrier to securing power solutions for small communities all over America.
Some organic preppers are turning to biogas as a more cost-effective and waste-reducing way to manufacture fuel. However, this can come with its own set of expenses if you don’t already have the materials. For example, ample storage space and the means to safely store your gas can add up. Meanwhile, there are the high temperatures you’ll need to maintain to produce biogas. Which in turn means you need effective fire safety measures.
Then, there’s the problem of government regulation.
Regulation prevents innovation
Depending on where you live, you could face regulations that prevent you from choosing your energy sources. This has consequences for how you go about planning your method of securing independent energy for your homestead or community.
For example, when the Berkley, California, City Council imposed a ban on natural gas hookups, cities across the US followed suit. This meant a new reliance on energy grids that drove up prices for consumers and limited individual choice.
Fortunately, however, other governments have taken measures to prevent such bans from ever taking place. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, for example, recently signed a bill that protects consumer rights by guaranteeing energy choice. The decision comes after a winter storm that knocked out power to 4.5 million Texas homes and left 57 people dead, a horrible tragedy that highlighted the essential nature of energy independence.
Energy rights advocates battle for fewer restrictions and more choice
Now, energy rights advocates across the nation are battling for choice and a redress of the regulations that promote unreliable fuel sources over others. The limitations that regulations like these enforce lead to an inability for the market to innovate. Traditionally, we’ve seen shoddier products emerge as a result.
With fewer restrictions on every level — from federal laws to neighborhood HOA ordinances — gaining energy independence can be much easier than in recent years. At the same time, dispelling myths is essential for promoting energy choices that can power safer, cleaner grids. For example, geothermal energy can be tapped in many more places than you might think, not just locations by volcanic activity.
Consumers free to choose their power sources can make better choices and practice sustainability without adhering to misguided regulations. After all, we’ve seen how effective the push for alternative industry mandates has been in securing reliable power grids.
Large green energy grids may not be reliable
As evidenced in the power outages seen during the winter storm that ravaged Texas in 2021, relying heavily on wind turbines and solar power won’t solve our energy needs. Green energy tends to be inconsistent. As a result, people sometimes suffer fatal consequences.
Acting to coordinate all your available energy sources can set you on a path towards energy independence. Solar can cut down on your energy costs and generate independent power on a reasonably consistent basis depending on where you live. You can then capitalize on these benefits by altering your habits to use more energy during the daytime.
However, other fuel sources are still necessary. From fossil fuels to geothermal energy, developing energy independence requires balances and fallbacks. If current regulations supported nuanced approaches to energy efficiency, we could more cheaply and easily maintain sustainable power solutions.
What can we do to gain energy independence?
The problem of energy dependence is a hard one to overcome because of the expense, regulations, and unreliability of the tools we now often utilize. Understand these hurdles, then develop a plan to address these challenges as you plan your sustainable power sources.
Do you utilize sustainable power sources? Have you gotten closer to energy independence? Were there roadblocks along the way? Share with other readers in the comments section how you overcame those challenges.
About Indiana
Indiana Lee lives in the Pacific Northwest and has a passion for the environment and wellness. She draws her inspiration from nature and makes sure to explore the outdoors regularly with her two dogs. Indiana has experience in owning and operating her own business. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @indianalee3.
I hate when people say we are energy independent. Independent means we are separate from others. Its a great talking point, but its still a falsehood. We export more oil than we import. So people call this energy independent. We import oil every month. Mostly it’s Brent crude from the UK. But we still import oil and in my book, any time we import oil, it means that we are not energy independent.
Not only is spineless OBIDEN accelerating it for the one world order but old spineless is killing the USA by stopping President Trumps gains In the world. He has made a laughing stock out of us. The Chinese, Russia are stepping in now because of the his weaknesses when Trump was in they didn’t dare. It all makes sense if the true representatives of the population did their jobs instead of making up lies about President Trump and just being children,( me me) ,their wouldn’t be a Coward AND PUPPET in charge. IMPEACHE every one that had ANYTHING to do with the lies and spending millions of dollars to justify it. If you and I lied to the Judge and embezzeled like they did we wouldn’t see daylight ever. AND SO SHOULD THEY!! !!!!!!
“IMPEACHE every one that had ANYTHING to do with the lies and spending millions of dollars to justify it”
impeachment may not be effective.
“energy independence” will require a tremendous reduction in the amount of energy we consume. plan accordingly.
e.g. bicycles instead of cars. vast apartment housing blocks built around centralized industrial concerns. little to no air conditioning. etc.
(the 3% will continue to live like the kings they think they are, of course)
Having lived in Florida most of my life , I have had numerous conversations with people who escaped Communism in Cuba and Latin America countries. In each case one of the “facts of life” under Communism is a lack of energy/electric power.
Should the ACP ( American Communist Party) formerly known as the Democrats, pass such bills as HR#1, we can be certain that the same will happen here too.
The fight is just beginning, it is time to stand tall!
Energy independence in a deteriorating climate/society will require both new and old thinking, which will take us out of our zone of comfortable convenience. I’m thinking of Cuba, for example, where the people had to innovate with the limited resources they could gather. This could become a long winded post about the need to develop community/networks in order to thrive and move forward but maybe I can give one example and that is of the live aboard, cruising sailing community. Having been part of it since the early 2000’s there are two noticeable types. The newbies that have bought their expensive boat complete with lack of courtesy and etiquette, perhaps through ignorance, and parts of the society they have left, with them. Then there’s the older school guys and girls, although independent minded, that are friendly and helpful, willing to lend a hand if needed knowing in all likelihood it will be paid forward rather than paid back. This ties in with the subject of energy independence because most boats have stand alone energy systems. Maintaining and wiring wind generators, solar panels, storage batteries, charge controllers etc. requires a level of knowledge which is acquired over time and with the sharing of information. It’s great to see young people and their families joining the community. They struggle to get a handle on things as we all did at one stage and I suppose we are happy to help because of just that- we were once in their position.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have all the answers to my energy problems on the boat or indeed other technical issues but coming together as a community of strangers on a beach, around a fire, sharing a beer or wine, we can listen and discuss and gather the true gems of wisdom from others more knowledgeable about certain things.
My parents retired early and did the live aboard sailboat life for several years.
Well said!
PG&E raises rates 2x / year usually eare a monopoly in our area. In 2011 we got PV solar panels and hydro solar panels for our water heater along with another water tank. The PV system is backed up by a generator as well as lithium/cobalt batteries. This supports our organic farm so we do not have PG&E bills. They pay us. It also powers our well pump.
However, we are still reliant on fuel for our backup generator should we need to use it as well as our gasoline powered equipment–weed whackers, etc.. It was the best decision we ever made.
Next year PG&E will raise rates big time for all solar users and change everyone to Time of Use. This makes our solar storage batteries cost effective. It also means we still have broadband usage from our radio and can use our cell phone when needed.
We are not wealthy and had to save up to buy our systems, so it can be done. And we are in control of our electrical usage, availability, and reliability.
eventually they will charge you for being hooked up at all. are you prepared to disconnect entirely?
(course then your property taxes will go up. “improvement”.)
As I recall, Jose who writes here often mentioned that in his home country of Venezuela, criminal gangs have taken over the gasoline stations and charge outrageous prices. This in a country with one of the world’s largest supplies of oil. Hmmm?
Much like Cuba, the old Soviet Union, or the neo-communist states of Commiefornia , New Yuck, or Illinois, gangs are used by the Elites/The Party to keep the General population under control.
“criminal gangs have taken over the gasoline stations and charge outrageous prices”
do rival gas station gangs have price wars, seeking to attract more “customers”?