Hi Guys,

I hope that you have had a good day today.

As I’ve mentioned previously my interest in renewable energy is a selfish one. I want to be able to generate my own electricity, heat my water and keep my home warm in the winter and cool in the summer while keeping as much of my money in my own pocket.

Going “green” has a cost implication. As much as environmentalists and others with vested interests try to sugar coat the pill, it all comes down to money. I want to see a return on my investment.

There are hard questions to be asked such as: -

• How much is it going to cost initially?
• What are the maintenance costs?
• How long will it take before I see a return on my investment?
• What are the environmental costs involved?
• What are the human costs involved?

I believe that it is important to see and quantify, both the positive and negative effects of renewable energy.

The costs in money terms are easily quantifiable. Numbers are impersonal. They remove the emotions from the equation. However, for those of you who have read my previous articles know that while the numbers may tell us one thing, they can be skewed by government policies such as subsidies, tax rebates or even hidden taxes such as import duties on alternative products from elsewhere making that product less competitive than the ones vested interests may have.

Whatever your views on the matter, as I’ve stated before, I think its important to weigh all the evidence before barging forward in the name of ‘green’!

We really need to have a frank and honest discussion on the true environmental impact of some of the renewable energy products. The direct and indirect environmental consequences of bio diesel crops for instance, causing vast deforestation of jungle in places such as Brazil and Indonesia, and the loss of all the bio diversity this entails.

While soybeans, like corn, had some great potential for fuel however people are starting to notice the direct negative impact of using food crops for something other than food. Consider spiraling food prices and the food riots in various parts of the world about a year ago.

Apart from the above consider the human cost where in four separated cases more than 1,700 sugar cane workers were rescued from forced labor and slavery conditions in Brazil. One would like to think that these are isolated cases but I wonder.

Lets not kid ourselves and consider some of the unpalatable truths behind some of the products including the companies and politics behind them.

I am not a conspiracy theorists but having lived in various parts of the world I know that most people in the west don’t really give a dam about others in far off places, working for a pittance or as slaves, just as long as their standard of living is not affected.

In spite of the above I still believe that there is a future in renewable energy solutions. But I believe that we should include an element of ethics in the mix and sanction companies that destroy the environment and enslave others.

In future articles we will be considering some of the above in greater detail.

As always, I wish you everything I wish myself.

Until the next time.

Alain

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