Energy Independent Communities

energy independent communities

Energy Independent Communities’ 25 x 25 Resolution

The American vision for energy independent communities is to create “green” power areas that generate 25 percent of their electricity and 25 percent of their transportation fuels from renewable resources by 2025.

Nature provides us with all that we need. Some of what is provided will run out, much of it will constantly renew and never expire. While we are not provided with electricity that we use to power so much of our everyday lives, we are given renewable resources that can be harnessed to make our own electricity. We can almost abandon the resources that we use so much to produce power now, (coal, oil, gas), that will run out. Instead, we can utilize the cleaner, renewable resources, along with some technology, so that most of us can equip our houses and businesses to run independently, off the grid so to speak. This lean, clean, green power model is what many governments are now promoting.

Beyond Energy Independent Communities

Living off the grid is a step further than being independent of the power company. Energy independent communities are those that can operate without depending on the grid, but aren’t necessarily completely off the grid. Energy independent communities can still connect to the grid in a way that the power companies will buy electricity from the individual energy efficient little power generators within the community, and use it to supplement the old style of power it supplies to other homes and businesses that have not yet bought into the make your own electricity program.

Not surprisingly, Wisconsin does a great job of promoting energy independent communities by publicly honoring those that assert that they will realize the 25 x 25 resolution.

It’s not surprising because Wisconsin and Iowa do a good job of promoting renewable energy through their Office of Energy Independence Web sites. Many states have such an office, but these two states have active Web sites promoting their belief and participation.

Do you know of a community or neighborhood that commits to the 25 x 25 Resolution? Let us know below.

Office of Energy Independence

Having an Office of Energy Independence signifies a state’s realization that renewable power is not only a trend, but is taken seriously. Which states promote such progress toward the creation of their own renewable power sources with an actual Office of Energy Independence?

Move to energy independence

If you search Yahoo or Google for the words office of energy independence, several links to different American states’ independent power source offices are found:

  • Iowa
  • Wisconsin
  • Kentucky
  • Maine
  • Indiana

Iowa and Wisconsin have several pages in the top 30 results, so their Web sites must have more content about their own office of energy independence than all others.

Iowa Office of Energy Independence

Iowa’s Web site for their office of energy independence states their purpose: “The office will align state government efforts for achieving energy independence through partnerships with business and industry, community leaders, government and public agencies, and other stakeholders.” They publish on their Web site frequently about renewable power sources, and on other sites about their activities.

Iowa refers to their initiatives as their New Energy Economy. Obviously, more than any other state in the U.S., Iowa’s view on clean and sustainable power sources is different, bigger, more important.

The Office of Energy Independence – Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s office of energy independence states their purpose: “generating electric power and transportation fuels from renewable resources; capturing more of the emerging bioindustry and renewable energy market; and leading the nation in groundbreaking research that will make clean energy more affordable and will create good paying Wisconsin jobs.” Their office of energy independence Web site is full of information about their green activities too, but they represent it as something they’re doing, not that it IS their new economy.

Perhaps no state has as big a stake in clean and sustainable energy development as Iowa and that’s why they refer to it as their economy, and have so many articles and updates on the topic.

What makes the states of Iowa and Wisconsin so conscious of this important topic?
Is it that the other states don’t have offices devoted to the movement toward independent power sources?
Do they have such departments, but no documentation on a Web site about it?

Tell us what you think with a comment below.