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What we really need in this country is an energy revolution to free us from the shackles of oil dependency. Here is my blueprint for action to achieve this goal in Vermont's future:

Goals for locally produced energy must be much more ambitious.

With "off the shelf" technology and appropriate economic incentives, we can achieve much more than current "goals "stated by the ill-informed elitist politicians who do not actually know very much about renewable energy alternatives.

We must build a statewide public transportation system to offer options to the prohibitive expense of auto vehicle ownership and operation.

This will stimulate an economic boom of new jobs, put more money in our pockets and end the "highway robbery" of ridiculously high oil prices.

We must greatly increase funding mechanisms, such as grant programs and low interest Housing and Urban Development 1% loans. Community lending institutions should create a pool of capital as well providing other necessary financial resources to create new energy sources.

We must create energy cooperatives, town by town, such as that in Hull, Mass., and a few other municipalities. A single 2-megawatt wind turbine could supply most of the power to an average Vermont town (where feasible) at wholesale rates, roughly half the retail rates that utilities now charge.

This would put more power production into the ownership of Vermont residents and greatly reduce their electricity bills.

Wind farms are only necessary when utilities own and produce wind energy. The reason wind farms are being built by utility companies is because the wholesale price is lower when they put lots of wind turbines together, allowing them to make a profit.

When a town operates a single 2-megawatt turbine, the wholesale cost of production is somewhat higher than large scale wind farms, but still much lower than the retail price utility companies now charge. In contrast, farmers in Europe now benefit from economic compensation when they allow wind turbines to “share” the fields with the cows at a minimal impact on their farming operations.

A combination of solar-thermal retrofitting of homes (see more info on this site) and installation of triple-pane windows alone would cut Vermont's consumption of heating oil by 50% or more. These improvements could also create good paying jobs in construction and related industries.

This combination of actions is my blueprint for Vermont's energy revolution. Read more about solar thermal solutions in my help-yourself section: Winter Survival Tips.

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