Here comes the sun …

That photo shows a parking lot in Germany. The parking spaces are covered with arrays of solar collectors which in addition to shading the cars, produce electricity.  With a little more reading it turns out Germany is a world leader in solar energy after abandoning nuclear power following the problems at the Japanese reactors after last year's earthquake and tsunami.

In May, German solar power plants produced a world record 22 gigawatts of electricity per hour during peak midday hours over two days.  That's an output equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity.

The process of building the solar and wind energy industries created 500,000 new jobs since the effort to eliminate nuclear power generation.

This could be happening in the United States as well, but for one difference in the two economies.  Perhaps it can be pinpointed with the answer to one question. Quickly, can you name one international German oil company?  No? Bet you they can name Exxon there.  Without a huge oil influence on government, the door to renewable energy swings open on (sigh) better lubricated hinges.

Take that influence out of our own government and perhaps the United States could also become a world leader in alternative energy.  There is a start here in Alaska, even, with a wind farm going up on an island off Anchorage which is expected to supply a percentage of the city's power supply.  In fact, the wind farm on Fire Island in Cook Inlet performed its first generation Aug. 30 during a test of two turbines and delivered 3 million watts into the local power grid. Here's the story.

Still in a state that lives off the oil industry it is looked at as a cute little side track on the road to energy independence. Alaska seems to want to destroy what is left of this last frontier, a misnomer any more, in the constant pressure to increase oil production and not waste a lot of time with these greenie pipe dreams.  Go ask Germany about those pipe dreams.  Hmmm what do you call them when you don't need pipe anymore to move your energy fuels.

What the Germans have done is show the world this is possible on a large scale and can gradually eliminate the use of fossil and nuclear fuels, reduce the country's dependence on foreign fuel sources and do it while adding jobs to the economy.

All we have to do is elect officials who represent people instead of the oil industry.  Is it that difficult?

Germany sets solar power generation record