Stacy+G.+-+POSITION+PAPER

__REVOLUTION, REACTION, REFORM-- __ How can we satisfy electric energy demand? Renewable energy sources should be used instead of fossil fuels to satisfy electric energy demand.

Have you ever considered why “things” work? With the flip of a switch or the push of a button, people are able to access information on all topics on the Internet without using a textbook or are able to light up a room without the use of a candle. Energy is used on a day-to-day basis to make life easier for everyone and comes in a multitude of forms. When electricity was first invented, it became an instant phenomenon, and over the years electricity has developed to fit the needs of society. Electricity, as stated by Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith, who are writers featured on the award winning database ABC-CLIO, “is a very important secondary energy source. . . generated from primary sources. . . [where] the physical properties of electrical energy allow for its transmission across long distances from its source of generation” (Moan 1). One reason electrical energy is in fact such a popular and important secondary energy source is because of how easy it is for people to obtain and use for their own purposes. Since electrical energy requires the use of primary sources to generate it, concern has risen on how long these sources, (e.g.: oil, natural gas, and coal) will last as effective means of producing energy. Jim Marshal, also a writer from ABC-CLIO, writes “today, Americans are demanding more power than ever, either to support new communities or to power new applications. . . [creating a] trend [that] will surely continue well into the new century” (Marshal 3). Demand for energy is constantly increasing; how can we satisfy electric energy demand?

Ever since the late 1800s, demand for electric appliances and other electric powered devices has risen. With the increasing demand for electricity, electric companies have been faced with the challenge of satisfying that demand as efficiently, cheaply, and environmentally friendly as possible. Todd Timmons, another author featured on the award winning database ABC-CLIO, states that inventors like Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse discussed many details about how to transport electricity and “the type of energy that would be delivered to American Homes” (Timmons 2); these ”type debates” between inventors, scientists, and other engineers, often focus on the kind of current—direct or alternating— that would best fill the task of carrying energy to citizen’s homes and the means in which electric power would be generated. By finding the best means of producing and transferring electricity, the cheaper it becomes for the consumer, and the easier it is to develop.

The revolution of electricity not only brought light to streets and homes across the nation, but also changed the length of a workday and how housework was completed. Before the revolution of electricity, the workday revolved around the cycle of the sun and washing clothes, ironing shirts and more had to be done by hand, with fires as the heat source. Christopher Cumo, (ABC-CLIO) writes that “the high cost of electricity made it a luxury in the first few years of the 20th century, but. . . the decrease in the cost of electricity from 28 cents a kilowatt-hour in the 1880s to 10 cents a kilowatt-hour in 1915 and to 7 cents a kilowatt-hour, made what had been a luxury into a commodity Americans could afford” (Cumo 1). As the technology around electricity improved, more and more American civilians could afford the use of electricity for their own needs and desires due to its more affordable price. Also, towns began building new infrastructure to hold power lines going from house to house, and, soon enough, the “image of large power stations with wires running from them to surrounding towns became a symbol of progress in many parts of America” (Marshal 1). Power lines and stations have shown other countries that America is on top of the trend and is progressing into the future of energy technology.

Over recent decades, America has experienced a rapid expansion of energy use, with an increased energy demand, which in turn has necessitated to the development of power stations to supply energy to the public. Electricity became a public desire soon after Thomas Edison’s building of a central power station in New York’s financial district in 1882, providing electricity for streetlights and office buildings alike. Soon enough, Americans adapted to a lifestyle with electricity and the country worked to spread usage to all corners of America. Kenneth Jost, a seasoned journalist featured on CQ Researcher, says “Edison’s Electric Illuminating Co. .. . became the model of the electric utility industry: a central power station transmitting electric current to thousands of customers, generating reliable and growing revenue for the operating company” (Jost 3). Citizens nationwide took notes from Edison’s power station and started building similar ones in their own towns, expanding the use of electricity to most urban areas. “Endowed with abundant supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, the United States was able to power its growing economy well into the 20th century” (Cooper 1), states Mary H. Cooper, also a seasoned journalist featured on CQ Researcher. America was flying high as electricity made lifestyles easier by advancing communication, automobiles, and other everyday luxuries. This golden area of electricity, home to cheap electric power, “was the single largest contributor in converting a rural and mostly agricultural America into an industrial nation. Without electric power stations, the industrial Revolution would have faltered long before its major accomplishments were realized” (Marshall 1). Electricity showed to have a national, even worldwide, impact on people's lives, helping everyone from housewives, to workers, to the average Joe in ways no one probably ever imagined.

With the demand for electricity on the rise, electric companies started working to provide the cheapest, cleanest energy to paying customers. Rivalries between private and public electric companies became common, starting in the early 20th century, leading to prices rising and falling and new technologies surfacing as each company worked to sell their energy at the lowest possible cost. For the first few decades, energy sources were abundant and prices low, but “by 1970. . . the days of cheap energy were numbered” (Cooper 1). In the 1950’s, the United States had begun importing oil from Middle Eastern Companies as domestic production reached its peak, allowing organizations like OPEC, or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, to realize they could affect the U.S., who refused to support Israel in the Middle East Conflict, by putting embargos on oil shipments to the United States, raising energy prices and slowing down an industrial nation. Understanding that foreign oil supplies turned the United States into a puppet of sorts, America turned their focus to sources of electric energy that could be produced without the cooperation of foreign suppliers, finding nuclear energy, where “nuclear power advocates’ [promised] that the new technology could provide cheap and abundant power, safely and reliability, for years to come” (Jost 4), as a possibility to do just that.

Nuclear energy brightened the spirits of Americans, providing confidence that the new form of energy would lower energy costs and last as an efficient source of energy. Optimism of the newfound energy source soon came to an end when it was determined “electricity produced with nuclear power is considerably more expensive than electricity produced with coal or oil, mainly because of the availability of coal and oil at a low cost” (Marshall 2). Nuclear energy, still in the beginning phases of development, required too much technology and expensive materials for the ever growing U.S. economy to produce in a cost efficient manner; this said, nuclear energy has the potential to be an unlimited source of energy as long as scientist and engineers can find a way to use nuclear energy in a way that is cost efficient to consumers.

As the United States progresses into the 21st century, energy demand remains a focal point of the nation. America’s past attempts to fulfill energy demands with a single type of power plant—oil, natural gas, coal, or nuclear energy, turned out opposite of what was hoped and expected. Suzanna Strangmeier, an author on Gale Learning center (GREENER), states “If the power sector focuses on coal or nuclear alone, once those new plants are in operation, natural gas demand, as well as its price, could fall and make gas-fired generation more economical then the new coal and nuclear power plants” (Strangmeier). This effect can be looked at as a teeter-totter because when one power plant (nuclear, oil, gas, coal) works to satisfy the ever growing demand of energy, the other power sources of less desire, at the time, will in return look to be cheaper. Since they appear cheaper, the sources of less desire will turn into sources of desire causing the source to become expensive as more and more plants use that resource. A new source will then appear cheaper once again, causing power plants and people to switch back and forth between generators. To make up for the rapid decrease of one resource over another, “the situation requires that Americans either accept higher inflation or increased use of processes” (Marshall 4) where more than one resource at a time would be used to generate power. Currently, a shortage of oil from both depleted sources and unstable politics in the producing countries is leading Americans to find an alternative fuel source, such as electric powered cars instead of gas powered cars and alternate energy like solar, wind, nuclear, or hydroelectric.

As The United States continues to develop and increase its energy consumption, renewable energy sources should be used instead of fossil fuels to satisfy electric energy demand. In theory, by switching the nation’s means of generating energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, energy would be at a constant supply, and the environment would benefit from the reduction in air pollution created from burning fossil fuels. Every day, The U.S. experiences an increased demand for energy, and Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith, writers featured on ABC-CLIO, write "since finite fuels are being depleted, it is inevitable that society will shift its energy resource base to one that is primarily driven by renewable technologies. . . [where] impacts are much less devastating to ecosystems and human health than those from fossil fuel energies" (Moan- Energy 1). With prices, demand, and competition for fossil fuels on the rise, people are searching for options that reduce the use of such fuels and implement other, more cost friendly and environmentally friendly techniques, such as renewable energy sources. James Kanter, a staff correspondent for the International //Herald Tribune// in Paris and Brussles, writes, “renewable sources like wind and sun [are] virtually unlimited, and could provide up to 77 percent of the World’s energy needs by mid-century” (Kanter 1). With this statistic, it can be seen that the renewable energy industry shows a great deal of potential to become a leading force in supplying energy to the nation, and even the world. An article about a supporter of advancing renewable energy sources— the International Energy Agency (IEA), a policy research organization representing energy officials— written by Harry Henderson, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, states that the IEA urges “nations to promote the conservation of energy, accelerate the development of alternate sources of energy, and encourage and promote new energy technologies” (Henderson 1). With society slowly adapting to new technologies surrounding renewable energy sources, typical lifestyles are changing for the better as energy prices show potential to decrease and air begins to become cleaner.

In order to become primarily dependent on renewable energy sources, instead of fossil fuels, cooperation from companies, the government, and society will be necessary. The transfer of the means of generating energy will not happen overnight; money will need to be invested toward the production of new energy generators, with the help of the government, and the support of society will be needed to keep moving forward and advance. One major focus of this advancement will be to maximize the use of certain resources found in different regions of the United State, such as the use of “solar energy [as] a good source of electricity for the dessert regions of the southwest and tidal power and wave energy technologies. . . for coastal cities. . . decentralizing energy resources and distribution centers to provide greater management flexibility in local regions” (Moan- Energy 1). By building generators specific to a region, people will become less reliant on major corporations for energy, and will turn to smaller, local generators, instead. How fast regions advance, though, is highly dependent on government support; “it’s not the availability of the resources, but the public policies that will either expand or constrain renewable energy development over the coming decades” (Kanter 1). Before the country can become a country dependent on renewable energy sources over fossil fuels, the government will need to provide a decent amount of money, hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars to get the industry on its feet.

Once up and running, renewable energy processing plants will help solve the increased electrical energy demand by creating a cheap, environmentally friendly, self-dependent form of energy that can be produced in a variety of ways specific to different regions. After the initial building of generators of renewable energy is complete, the need for imported fossil fuels will decrease dramatically, and the energy used will be cleaner and readily available for public use. One benefit of the switch will include a decrease in the “anxiety [found] in many industrialized nations about the future availability of fossil fuels upon which their economies depend” (Henderson). Instead of receiving energy from a single, limited source— fossil fuels – nations will have additional energy security from renewable sources. Also, “oil pollution [created from] vessels carrying crude oil” (Moan- Energy 2) that spill oil into oceans would decrease as the demand for oil decreases. Reliance on foreign oil and fossil fuels will decrease as renewable energy advances, thereby decreasing the number of oil shipments overseas, and the chance for one of those vessels spilling crude oil. In addition, “the benefits [of renewable energy] would include better public health from cleaner air, as well as fewer greenhouse gas emissions” (Kanter 1). Not only will the use of renewable energy sources help to lead the nation’s energy supplies to become self- sufficient and cheaper, but also these renewable energy sources will create a nation with cleaner air and better health.

High initial costs are a concern of both citizens and governments. New technologies are needed to get the renewable energy industry up and running and the money required to invest in these new generators, dams, solar panels, etc., is expensive causing some people to believe that money spent on these new technologies will be money wasted. After all, according to Richard Graham, a professional economist and educator with a Bachelor of Science in economics, the capitol cost of renewable energies are much “higher than that of fossil fuels as measured per unit of energy produced and technologies like Hydroelectric dams require billions of dollars to construct and solar panels are expensive to produce in large quantities” (Graham 1). Cost is something that must be considered as The United States attempts to move into a new era of energy, especially since, currently, the nation is experiencing an economic crisis.

With the economy in crisis and money tight, it is understandable that people and the government may be hesitant to act upon renewable energy development. Advancing the renewable energy industry will be expensive. This said, take into consideration how much money was put into developing the fossil fuel industry back during the industrial revolution and the years that followed. “It would make strategic and environmental sense to pour more resources into the research and development of alternatives to fossil fuels”, states Anup Shah, a computer science graduate, “but fossil fuel-dependent industries cry foul of such suggestions, even though governments poured billions into fossil fuel development over the years” (Shah 3). How can people object to paying for the advancement of renewable energy sources, which are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels, when so much money was put into the advancement of fossil fuel-dependent industries that ended up causing pollution and other environmental harms? Similar to the development of fossil fuel-dependent industries, the development of renewable energy-dependent industries will require some money to begin, but, unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy will lead the world into an era of clean energy with limited pollution, and unlimited resources to provide it.

Once developed, renewable energy sources will decrease reliance on countries overseas to provide the United States with oil and other fossil fuels. Since reliance on fossil fuels is so high— in 2007 alone, 86.25% of America's energy sources were fossil fuels— decreasing this overwhelming consumption of fossil fuels will help decrease the money spent on the importation of such resources, which will ultimately help the economy out of crisis. Nancy Stockdale, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, writes, "The United States' reliance on foreign fuel imports has become a political and strategic concern; it has come to play a prominent role in American's military escalation in Iraq and has led many to questions [over] the nation's economic ties with some nations that have oil and hold extremely different political philosophies from the United States, such as Saudi Arabia" (Stackdale 2). Having to depend so strongly on foreign nations for fuel is harming the economy in more ways than one. With renewable energies, the United States will be able to have a constant energy supply free from overwhelming shipments of fuel overseas, and the ongoing battles for oil in middle eastern countries, like the war in Iraq, will begin to die down as the oil needs become less and less.

Environmentalists turn their concern to how the new infrastructure—to produce and transfer electric energy—will affect wildlife and surrounding lands. In deserts and other government owned lands, transmission lines and renewable energy generators like solar, and wind, are being built in large quantities, triggering a rift among environmentalists who believe the infrastructure is disturbing pristine landscapes. Andrea Store, a writer from USA Today, “worries that the government will industrialize the desert with acres of solar mirrors, trampling treasured landscapes” (Store), causing renewable energy sources to no longer be ‘green’. Environmentalists feel that the infrastructure of Renewable energy is being built blindly by the government on pristine public lands full of wildlife, rather than on previously disturbed private lands better suited for such projects.

As the demand for energy increases and solar and wind development pick up speed, it is becoming apparent that old transmission lines will be unable to handle the shift due to their age and limited range. With new renewable energy sources, remote locations are benefitting from the development of such generators in the desert and coastal regions, but an increased transmission distance is something that is required to move forward, even with environmentalist objections. “Meaningful action to develop the means of transporting newly burgeoning renewable energy sources to population centers” (forcechange) is a necessity, states forcechange, a website consisting of students, professionals, and activists concerned with health and resources, since energy is being generated in non-localized lands. Even though environmentalists believe they are helping the environment through opposing new transmission lines due to trees planted for roadside landscaping, and other possible effects the new infrastructure has on wildlife, environmentalists are overlooking the benefits to come with the new lines that will ultimately help to clean the environment as pollution decreases and less oil is spilled in oceans from oversea transport.

Having a means of transporting generated energy is a necessity for development. Transmission lines may trade places with roadside trees and put environmentalists at unease, but, in the end, transmission development will benefit the nation. Rebecca Mowbray, a writer from The Times- Picayune, mentions that “transmission lines pale in comparison to investment in facilities to generate electricity [and] investing in transmission lines is prudent. . . because greater capacity in the system enables utilities to extend their range” (Mowbray) to new customers. By investing in and building new transmission lines, large energy plants will have a way to transfer clean energy cheaply to citizens all over the nation, pushing the negatives proposed by environmentalist away from view as long term benefits, such as cleaner air, become a goal only to be reached one step at a time. One challenge is to persuade major car companies to improve and produce efficient and cost effective electric cars.

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in America as more and more people strive to be “green”, but where are the electric fueling stations? Electric cars require periodic refueling, similar to cars running on gasoline, but, currently, electric fueling stations are scarce and people with electric cars are beginning to have road anxiety about how far they must travel before being able to refuel. Not every trip taken with an electric vehicle will be within its battery range; "Electric vehicles generally get between 25-100 miles on a full "tank" whereas a gas powered car can go 300 miles or more", states Steve Almasy, a writer from CNN news.com, a world leader in online news and information delivery, "and gas stations are everywhere [with] more than 160,000 in the country, [while] there are only a few hundred working electric charging stations" (Almasy). With the relatively low number of fueling stations, people are hesitant about buying electric vehicles since they know gas stations are located every couple miles and are, therefore, readily available. So the question becomes, why buy an electric vehicle when vehicles running on gasoline have more reliable fueling stations?

It is easy to understand the worry felt by people who have purchased or are considering purchasing electric vehicles, but as electric vehicles gain support, states like Oregon are beginning to update their fueling stations to be able to support the change. An “Electric Highway” was recently opened in Oregon along their West Coast, where new chargers allow for fast charging of vehicles along the interstate. These chargers, states Travis Hoium, a writer for “The Motley Fool” with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MBD from Carlson School of Management, "can take an all-electric Nissan Leaf from 20% charged to 80% charged in less than half an hour" (Hoium). When the construction of these stations along the highway is complete, about every 25 miles there will be a charging station for people with electric vehicles to recharge. As states begin to support the movement of electric vehicles, and more and more charging stations are built, range anxiety experienced by people with electric vehicles will lessen.

The sole use of fossil fuels to produce electric energy is damaging the environment in ways that switching to renewable energy sources can help to end. With renewable energy sources as the primary producer of electricity, the environment would benefit from less pollution, citizens would benefit from lower costs, and the nation would benefit due to a decreased reliance on foreign nations for fossil fuels. Every bit helps, so by investing money and land into the development of the infrastructure to generate and transmit electricity, the nation would be able to advance in a "green" manner. It must not be forgotten that the fossil fuel industry required a great deal of support to get started, and renewable energies will need similar support through actions like placing a solar panel on the roof of your home or by buying an electric car. As people start to pick up on the new trend, the rest of the pieces will fall into place. Soon enough, gas stations will stand side by side with electric fueling stations and solar, hydro, and wind powered generators will decrease dependence on fossil fuels and will help lead the economy into an era of clean, cheap, unlimited energy. We only have one Earth, so it is important that the nation, and all nations, strive to protect it; "Don’t limit investing to the financial world. Invest something of yourself, and you will be richly rewarded" ~Charles Schwab


 * ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY **

Almasy, Steve. "The New Fear: Electric Car 'Range Anxiety.'" //CNN U.S.// N.p., 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. []. This article is a secondary source written by Steve Almasy, a writer from CNN news.com, a world leader in online news and information delivery. This article discusses range anxiety, a fear produced from electric vehicles. This article was used to point out the number of gas stations compared to the number of electric fueling stations for electric vehicles.

Cooper, Mary H. "Energy Policy." //CQ Researcher// 25 May 2001: 441-64. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. <[|http://library.cqpress.com]>.

This article is a secondary source written my Mary H. Cooper, a seasoned journalist featured on CQ Researcher, an online database noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. In the article, Mary H. Cooper discusses the future of energy and crises that have risen as a result of the increased demand. Information used from this article includes the reactions that come as a result of higher prices on energy and possible solutions to those problems.

Cumo, Christopher. "Electricity and the American Home: Modern World." //Daily Life through History//. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. < []>.

This web article is a secondary source written by Christopher Cumo, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. This article focuses on the development of electrical devices and how everyday citizens are affected by such changes. I am using this source for my project because with it I am able to give a variety of details pertaining to the transportation of electricity and how over time electricity not only changed the way people completed chores, but how society as a whole worked together.

Graham, Richard. "Drawbacks of Renewable Energies." //eHow//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. [|http://www.ehow.com].

This article is a secondary source by Richard Graham, a professional economist and educator with a Bachelor of Science in economics. In this article, Graham discusses negatives associated with renewable energy sources. I used this article for my paper to point out one of the negatives of renewable energy sources, which is high initial cost.

Henderson, Harry. “International Energy agency.” //Issues: Understanding Controversy// and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. < []>

This article is a secondary source written by Harry Henderson, an author featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. Henderson points out the anxiety surrounding oil prices and availability and ways to deal with the problems. This article was used to give reasons why renewable energy sources are better than fossil fuels, such as oil.

Hoium, Travis. "Natural- Gas Highway vs. Electric- Vehice Highway." //The Motely Fool//. N.p., 31 Mar. 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. [|http://www.fool.com]. This article is a secondary source written by Travis Hoium, a writer for The Motley Fool with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MBD from Carlson School of Management. In this article, Hoium compares Natural-gas vehicles to electric vehicle giving benefits and drawbacks of each. This article was used to talk about how electric fueling stations are advancing, in Oregon specifically, and how the industry is gaining support.

Jost, Kenneth. "Restructuring the Electric Industry." //CQ Researcher// 17 Jan. 1997: 25-48. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. <[|http://library.cqpress.com]>.

This article is a secondary source written my Kenneth Jost, a seasoned journalist featured on CQ Researcher, an online database noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Kenneth Jost explains in his article a wide variety of information about electric energy ranging from back when electricity was first invented, all the way to issues seen today. This article was used to help describe the history of electricity, and the problems that came as a result of the invention.

Kanter, James. "Renewabale Sources Could Provide 77% of World's Energy by 2050, Report Says." //New York Times// 9 May 2011: n. pag. Web. [|www.nytimes.com] This article is a secondary source written by James Kanter, a staff correspondent for The International Herald Tribune in Paris and Brussels since 2005, covering business affairs and the business of green. This article discusses the positive future of renewable energy sources, stating benefits that will come. This article is being used to highlight some key statistics of renewable energy sources as well as their benefits.

Marshall, Jim. "power generation." //Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society//. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. < []>.

This web article is a secondary source written by Jim Marshall, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. In this article, Marshall addresses ways to create electricity through steam-powered devices, nuclear power, and hydroelectric techniques. This source was used because it focuses on different methods to create electrical energy and the benefits and side affects that comes with each one.

Moan, Jaina L., and Zachary A. Smith. "electricity." //Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society//. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. <[]>.

This web article is a secondary source written by Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith, writers featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. In this article, Moan and Zachary discuss in detail the process of deriving electrical energy from electrons and the uses and transportation of electricity. This source is being used since Moan and Zachary are able to clearly describe materials and techniques involved in the creation of electricity, and how electricity is transferred from power plants to homes.

-- "Energy Use Worldwide: Outlook." //Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society//. ABC-CLIO,2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.[| 

This article is a secondary source written by Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith, writers featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. In this article, Moan and Smith compare fossil fuels and renewable energy sources, listing positives and negatives for each source. This article was used to point out what is necessary for the development of renewable energy generators ad to list some of the benefits of Renewable energy.

Shah, Anup. "Energy Security." //Global Issues//. N.p., 15 May 2011. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. [|http://www.globalissues.org].

This article is a secondary source written by Anup Shah, a computer science graduate. In this article, Shah talks about a variety of issues around energy and energy security, and who should get involved. This article was used to point out the initial cost of renewable energy generators and how the industry needs support to begin, just like fossil fuel-dependant industries did.

Stockdale, Nancy. “Energy Conservation.” //Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society.// ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. < []>

This article is a secondary source written by Nancy Stockdale, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. In this article, Stockdale talks about ways for America to save energy and to become a more efficient nation. A key point taken from this article is how much The United States depends on foreign oil supplies and other fossil fuels, and how that supply could be decreased.

Strangmeier, Suzanna. “nuclear future bright, but needs public trust.” //Natural Gas Week// 27 Mar. 2006: 8. //Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources//. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. <[]>.

This article is a secondary source written by Suzanna Stangmeier, an author on GREENER (Gale group), //or Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources//, is known as a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses, best known for its accurate and authoritative reference content. This article by Suzanna Strangmeier discusses the positive and negatives of nuclear power plants and includes percentages pertaining to the use of nuclear energy in the United States. This article was used to state how the power sector works to include all forms of energy generators, and how nuclear energy has a growing interest among the people.

Timmons, Todd. "Electrical Technology: 19th Century." //Daily Life through History//. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. < []>.

This web article is a secondary source written by Todd Timmons, a writer featured on ABC-CLIO, an award-winning publisher of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development content, created to help students, educators, librarians, and general readers of all ages wrestle with complex challenges. In this article, Timmons discusses how arc lighting and incandescent bulbs changed the lives of people in the 19th century, and problems that people face as a result of electric energy. This article was used to help show how affected people were from such advancements, and how small problems were solved through the use of electricity.