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The fact that alternative energy resources intersect with politics is an understatement. Alternative resources primarily rely on politics and law enforcers to be put into motion. However, not one level of government is involved, it encompasses all levels in order for the energy source to be out into effect. The two mechanisms that effect the implementation of alternative energy are indirect and direct effects. Indirectly, politics effect the renewable energy policies deployment by influencing the adoption of renewable energy policies. Directly, alternative energy resources are affected by development through regulatory politics, interest group politics, and entrepreneurial politics. Politics and market forces pave the way to renewable energy policy adoption through political climate, interest group competition, and entrepreneurial activities.
I believe that implementing alternative energy resources is a bit tricky when it comes to politics for a variety of reasons. One of them being that the policies have to consider the population that will be affected by the new source. A politician has to make sure that the population promotes the new changes that are about to take place. They have to be ensured that nothing will be taken away from them or that they will have to pay higher taxes or something of that sort. Another aspect of alternative energy resources is that you have to make sure that you can continue the research of them without any dispute. In my previous article, I had discussed that a possible energy source was seaweed that produced biofuel. However, some activist groups may view that in a negative light. They may see it as disrupting the environment to better-fit society’s needs. I had also had mentioned in one of my papers that wind power is also being researched as a possible energy resource. The population and activist group might fight this because windmills are large and tend to make obnoxious sounds. The politician or a group of them will come to the decision if that alternative source would be the best source for power. They would have to decide on a location that is far enough from a majority of the population that will not create an eye sore and cause them discomfort from the sound. The bottom line is that before an alternative source is implemented many aspects need to be addressed.
Alternative energy resources can also produce problems with other countries. I had discussed in my prior blog that we acquire oil from a few countries. If we begin producing our own oil, this can cause friction between the United States and the other country. A country like Saudi Arabia heavily relies on the United States as a consumer of their oil. The same goes for a country like Mexico, they rely on the U.S. to consume their oil too. Before politicians go and begin implementing all these new resources they have to make sure of a couple of things. They have to do their research on the new resource to make sure it is adequate and they have to make sure that it pleases the population. Most importantly they have to make sure that it could sustain as long as the original source.
References:
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e1b4a7fa-5b56-4e68-91c8-8e5995b20ffd%40sessionmgr4003&vid=2&hid=4203
I appreciate you going over all the different fields that intersect with finding alternative sources of energy as it creates a bigger picture to why these sources are often not used. I think it is important to take the marketability into consideration as the energy must be as affordable or even more so than what is already on the market for consumers to be interested. Companies must also find some sort of financial gain in making the transition and this sometimes intersects with politicians giving subsidies or other monetary forms of encouragement to allow companies to adopt the alternative source. Thirdly, there are the environmentalists like myself who must see it as a push forward from what we already use in terms of sustainability. I'm really intrigued by the seaweed energy source you mentioned actually! As with gas now, and coal before it though, I am sure something else will take its place within the next century.
ReplyDeleteChirag,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! I do agree that alternative energy sources play a large part in politics. Everyone wishes to get their hands on an energy source that would never run out. This is what cause the English to take over North America, as the English wanted the resources here. Another example would be the oil mines in the Middle East. Many political debates take place as to who has what and or who can buy from who. The more resources sometimes equals more power and that is why politicians thrive for it. Good post and I wish you luck in your career.
Chirag,
ReplyDeleteThis was a very well thought out post. I learned a lot about the implications of alternative energy sources. This topic is relevant especially considering the effects of global climate change. I know that wind energy is proposed a lot but it is difficult to find the area for huge wind farms and also the money for installation. Nuclear energy is also a possibility but people are in fear of what nuclear meltdowns can do especially after incidents in Japan after natural disasters. There are many problems with implementing alternative energy solutions. Thank you for showing all sides of this issue. I hope concrete solutions can arise in the future.
Interesting post. You did a great job of engaging the reader into an interesting and mud talking about topic. Politics is dragging on the way normal markets would help in a better way considering the gridlock over renewable and non-renewable resources in congress. However, if private entrepreneurs approach this in areas where the government subsidies lower alternative costs, then these companies can compete and possibly build enough demand to show if it would either become profitable or fail. Many regions use solar, and the as solar becomes more efficient and cheaper it will be able to complete without government subsidies. However this will take many years. This similar with other alternative. I did see a documentary about a town with a windmill farm, and it seemed to really cause a lot of controversy over the noise and politics.
ReplyDeleteChirag,
ReplyDeleteVery informational post! It seems that you know a great amount of this field for you to do well in. I agree with you on how politics does play a large roll in alternative energy sources. I think it is very important that politicians find ways or ideas to incorporate different kinds of energy that could benefit everyone in the long run. As Sreshta said wind and nuclear energy sources are a few possibilities but do come with its difficulties. Hope fully some time in the near future a solution will arise that will improve the alternative energy solution.
Has there been any specific policy geared toward renewable energy resources and its use and implementation? The renewable energy resources that you mentioned in this post as well as others including wind energy and even the interesting seaweed fuel was interesting but with all of these comes with impacts on the environment that we all have to be aware of. There are obviously the many risks associated with the resources and their extraction strategies but I feel that we have come fairly comfortable with their use to which we have yet to come by with these new energy technologies. The largest concern being the environmental impact because essentially it could impact other resources we need.
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph talks about a concept that is significantly important to understanding how the world is the way it is today. The global economy relies on fuel and petrol resources more so than anything else. There are whole ports and oceanic highways that have been built moving millions of barrels of oil every day. The reliance on crude gas and other similar fuels is paramount to even our foreign relations policies! It’s crazy how big of an impact oil and gas has had on the world.
ReplyDeleteChirag,
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to finding an alternative energy source there is always a huge debate and they always compare and contrast all the sources. Oil and gas does indeed have a huge impact in the world and some people believe that it can or caused wars because of fighting over a limited resource like oil. There will always be a side supporting the new source and the other side supporting the already implemented source. Like for example when society implements solar panels some people approve of them because it can save money and it is Eco-friendly. While the other side like utility companies disagree because they are losing money and they think solar panels users are not paying the same amount of money as everyone else.