\nenformable<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Larry Cantwell, the supervisor of East Hampton on Long Island, N.Y., sat back the other day with satisfaction about the town\u2019s plan to have 100% of its electricity come from renewable energy\u2014safe, clean, green power\u2014by 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s just four years away!<\/span><\/p>\n In 2014, East Hampton became the first municipality on the East Coast to adopt a 100% renewable energy goal. Other governments in the U.S.\u2014among them cities such as San Francisco\u2014have done the same, as have nations around the globe. And, it\u2019s something that can be done all over the world.<\/span><\/p>\n On Long Island, going to green energy is especially meaningful because seven to eleven nuclear power plants were planned for it in the 1960s and 70s. In the parlance of nuclear promoters at the time, Long Island was to become a \u201cnuclear park.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n One nuclear plant was completed, Shoreham Nuclear Power Station 1, but it was stopped from going into commercial operation and subsequently abandoned in the face of grassroots public opposition and actions by local and New York State governments.<\/span><\/p>\n When his town board in 2014 adopted\u2014unanimously\u2014a resolution to have all the town\u2019s electricity come from renewable sources, Mr. Cantwell said: \u201cMaking the switch to clean energy is just the right thing to do, both for the environment and for keeping more money in the local economy and creating jobs here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n At East Hampton Town Hall recently he commented: \u201cWe\u2019re doing it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n East Hampton is to meet its 100% renewable energy goal through solar energy, from panels on town-owned land and rooftops, and from wind energy from off-shore wind turbines like those Rhode Island-based Deepwater Wind is now completing east of the town in the ocean near Block Island.<\/span><\/p>\n In areas around the nation and world, there would be different mixes for implementing 100% renewable energy. The mix depends on energy resources, although solar power runs through all green-energy menus.<\/span><\/p>\n An energy revolution is underway.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe World Can Transition to 100% Clean, Renewable Energy,\u201d declares the website of The Solutions Project headquartered California. \u201cTogether ,\u201d it continues, \u201cwe can build a stronger economy, healthier families, and a more secure future. 100% clean is 100% possible. Join us.\u201d The <\/span>website\u00a0<\/span>is full of information on 100% renewable energy programs happening. Among the articles: \u201c139 Countries Could Be 100% Renewable by 2050.\u201d The Solutions Project, supported by leading U.S. foundations including the Park Foundation, last month launched \u201cThe Fighter Fund, a new grant-making program for community-based groups on the front lines of the fight for clean energy and climate justice.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And a fight is occurring. \u201cHolding Clean Energy Hostage,\u201d was the title of an article<\/span><\/a> last month by Cathy Kunkel of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and M.V. Ramana of the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University in the journal Reason in Revolt. Companies tied to \u201ctraditional\u201d energy\u2014coal, oil, gas and nuclear\u2014seek to block \u201crenewable energy every step of the way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The sun does not send a bill. Neither does the wind. Once the infrastructure for renewable energy is built, energy flows\u2014freely. And this threatens the old power order.<\/span><\/p>\n But there are new companies\u2014like Deepwater Wind\u2014making huge advances in renewable energy technologies that the old order can\u2019t put a lid on.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, a new firm, Insolight, has just announced<\/span><\/a> development of solar photovoltaic panels with 36% efficiency. \u00a0\u00a0The most advanced solar panels for use in space have 25% efficiency. Several years ago the efficiency of solar panels was measured in single digits. Now most are 18% to 20%, and the SunPower company last year began producing panels <\/span><\/a>with 24% \u201cworld record\u201d efficiency. \u00a0\u00a0 With 36% efficiency, less space for panels is needed. Meanwhile, the price of solar panels has gone down dramatically.<\/span><\/p>\n Regarding wind, the United Kingdom recently gave the go-ahead for what\u2019s to be the world\u2019s largest offshore wind farm.\u00a0 This August 7, Scottish wind turbines generated \u201cthe total amount of electricity used by every home and business\u201d in Scotland, reported the U.K. newspaper The Independent.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"renewable-energies\"](\"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Renewable-Energies.jpg\")
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