Alternative energy. It is one of the buzzwords around the elections. What will be the role of the renewable energy sources in the US economy in the next decades? Every candidate has a point in that area.

Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton contends that investment in alternative energy initiatives can revive the economy and save jobs in many not so well performing local economies.

Republican Sen. John McCain says that alternative energy will transform the national economy and that in the US there are enough innovations and technology needed to ensure this success.

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama plans to invest $150 billion in alternative energy sources using alternative energy grant schemes and tax deductions.

But this is somewhere into the future. So to sum up what alternative energy is not. It is not fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, propane and natural gas. There are many renewable (alternative – these terms are interchangeable ) energy sources: — wind, the sun, vegetable oils, even algae (algae biofuel).

These news about the next president ambitions combined with the current trends for strong boost of alternative energy initiatives sound great for the future of the renewable energy in US.

For example:

At the moment The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for loans and grants within USDA’s Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program for $220.9 million.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer made the announcement during an international renewable energy conference in Washington, D.C.

"As demand for energy rises, these renewable energy loans and grants help farms and rural small businesses increase their investment in renewable energy initiatives," said Schafer, speaking at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC).
"Energy efficiency wisely applies our resources, and energizes wealth-creation opportunities with more jobs throughout rural America."
The agricultural producers and rural small businesses have access to grants to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements.
Eligible applicants may seek loan guarantees to cover up to 50 percent of a project’s cost, not to exceed $10 million.
Grants are available for up to 25 percent of a project’s cost, not to exceed $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements and $500,000 for renewable energy systems.
USDA Rural Development has invested $674 million in more than 1,763 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects since 2001. These investments include ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar, geothermal, methane gas recovery systems and biomass.
The Bush administration’s Farm Bill proposal recommends a $1.6 billion increase in renewable energy funding. Were Congress to agree, cellulosic ethanol development proposals would receive a $2.1 billion loan guarantee program, while $500 million would be available for bioenergy and bioproducts research programs, as well as another $500 million for renewable energy development and energy efficiency grants.

Details for applicants are available at www.usda.gov/farmbill

USDA will issue one grant solicitation for two separate competitions in FY 2008. For the first competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no later than April 15, 2008. For the second competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no earlier than April 16, 2008, and no later than June 16, 2008.
Applications for loan guarantees, as well as those for loan/grant combinations must be completed and submitted to the appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office no later than June 16, 2008.
Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA’s Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

So there comes a great future for the alternative energy in the USA. So it is obvious that Alternative energy is the future.

Related Posts:

1. Algae – New Look At This Alternative Fuel Source

   One of the alternative renewable sources of fuel is the one from algae The algae oil is considered to be...

2. Bioethanol – the Alternative Renewable Energy and Fuel Source

   1 tone sugar cane yields only 72 liter bioethanol, which can be use as a pure ethanol fuel or be...

3. Bulgarian Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels Act – 14.11.2008 – Part 1

   Chapter one GENERAL PROVISIONS Art. 1. This Act regulates the public relations aiming to promote the production and use of...

4. Bulgarian Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources and Biofuels Act – 14.11.2008 – Part 7

   COMPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS § 1. For the purposes of this Act: 1. "Renewable energy sources" shall include non-fossil sources such as...