Geothermal Steams Ahead

Great! But, as usual, the government is the greatest obstacle, or should I say the Democrats who never saw a tax they didn't like or a tax break they didn't want to revoke.

Heard that.

From the article:

"New federal and state initiatives to promote geothermal energy are paying off," commented Gawell. "State renewable standards coupled with the federal production tax credit are creating a renaissance in U.S. geothermal power production," he added.

But, the federal production tax credit is about to expire at the end of 2008. In December the Senate failed by one vote to keep a multi-year extension of the renewable tax credits in the energy bill. According to the industry, it is now facing a serious dilemma.

"If we can build and sustain this momentum, geothermal energy can become a major US energy source," according to Gawell. "But, Congress and the administration must work together to extend the renewable energy tax credits before they expire."

Without an extended credit, the resulting tax hike will undercut one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. economy - renewable energy, he warned."

Looks pretty cut and dry to me. Agreed there is no mention of political party, but all politicians are fans of taxes and despise cuts. That is true for Republicans and Democrats alike. The only difference is the reasons they qoute to justify why they know better how to spend our money than we do.

Without taxes we would have bridges falling all around us.

How about waking up some members of our soceity to do it themselves instead of asking for a grant from the Government to do things.

Here they are devolping something called the Creeper Trail. Recently they ask for and got a $600,000.00 grant to put up signs so people don't get lost.

How hard would it have been for all those interested in using the trail, all local people, to make signs with arrows pointing which way to go and exit. But a few politically connect and grant knownlegeable people are getting moneyto do this and take a pay check for adminstration of the grant. This is about the 4th grant for a walking trail in the woods for local people. Nearly $1.4 million spent so far just for this walking trail.

This is a nationwide problem with even large lawfirms are getting $200,000 to $500,000 grants to do rezoning studies for private property owners if they mention possible historical connections.

Too many of these wasteful grants that only benifit a few but still take funds out of the U.S. Treasury and causes us all to suffer for it.

I quote from the story "But, the federal production tax credit is about to expire at the end of 2008. In December the Senate failed by one vote to keep a multi-year extension of the renewable tax credits in the energy bill. According to the industry, it is now facing a serious dilemma." What party controlled the Senate in December?

Your knee-jerk left-wing response shows that you did not read the article. Also those oil-company write offs were done by both parties, politicians all, demonstrating that government IS the problem. Please, you are expected to think before you spout off.

Yes if their people don't control it they will run you out and take over. Conservatives go figure.

I have been looking at the steem engins for some time. I would consider purchase if they were made for todays use. Ray in Philadelphia.

Ray -- Check these - David Brown's Steam Engines, Cyclone Engines, Lynx Steam Engines, Green Steam Engine and Tesla Turbines just for a start. There are quite a few out there, unfortunately most are made for stationary or marine use. The water-tube boilers, flash boilers, Lamont boilers are scarcer. You really need a machine shop to fabricate them.

I wish I had money so I could have them built myself. I really want to build a steam-electric hybrid auto but lack the money and need a lot of technical advice.

Look what happened to fuel cells when they proved they could make hydrogen fuel cheaper than petroleum based systems; Federal funding disappeared.

Same with Super-synthetic / moly-b oil. No consumer marketing for that anymore, since the tax incentives were canceled. One would conclude: reduced friction isn't worth funding, anymore, (or at this time).

Tax incentives are the fuel source, not the energy these systems shall ever produce.

Most of these technologies shall never produce a surplus, where an investor reaps wild rewards. Not for a long time.

Some friends of mine, want to build a transformer style, box-car manufacturing plant; which runs on tax incentives.

Any takers?

The box car sounds good set it near a rive with a paddle wheel to drive the generator. I will invest if he gets the place and permits for the paddle wheel. I will even help in construction of the supports for the wheel.

If a product or idea is good enough, the market will support it without incentives, or moaning ad groaning from either side. I think Geothermal is one of these.

Out west, geothermal is a great way to generate electricity if you are lucky enough to have the hot spots in your area and money to build plants. I'm currently working with biofuel technologies to generate power in New England. Your SHITE is our bread and butter isn't just for plumbers anymore.

If you own the land free and clear there are many companies that will come and build a power plant with either and out right sell to you with longterm payments or lease the land and build the power plant.

Power plants are cash cows but lien holders on the properties create a problems when it comes to regulations and new liens.

Do we know what effect, if any, on the cooling of the Earth's core by using this process?

There are many aspects to look at. Some say that the Earth's core is headed for meltdown due to undercooling - which is supposedly due to global warming. Others say that the Earth's core is constantly losing heat, and the effect can be seen by the changing thickness of the Earth's crust.

I don't see the earth core being affect by gloable warming. Because the core does not take in anything from the earths crust.