Energy Autonomy Manifesto

Technically the idea of a smart grid sounds like a great way to integrate the old grid with a new grid for electricity that supports both old central generating systems (like coal, nuclear, oil and gas) and new distributed renewables (like wind, solar, small hydro and biomass). We are being sold this new smart grid as an imperative as we upgrade our old existing grid that is falling apart. It is going to cost trillions over the long run, but we are told we have to do it, and smart grid is the way of the future. Certainly institutions like government, utilities, coal/oil/gas/uranium suppliers, central generators (coal, oil, gas, nuclear), renewable energy companies and banks think this is the way of the future, as they must since it is in the very nature of their institutional structure, to survive and grow on the future smart grid. Their business model relies on a modern smart grid to stay in business and without it we don't need them, well, except for the renewable energy companies.

What centralized power structures like government, utilities, oil/coal/gas/uranium suppliers, central generators and banks will never explain is that there are very real and truthfuly more sustainable, economicly viable, and equitable ways to move forward. Take the next thirty years of so called "necessary" upgrades required to move to the smart grid and, instead, invest it in autonomous energy systems that require absolutely no smart grid at all. Simplify the system by largely elliminating the grid altogether, and move directly to the smartest energy system of all, in the form of local autonomous energy generation that requires nothing but the local microgrid that already exists in every building. Starting with home owners, invest smart grid transformation tax funds instead directly in generation and storage infrastructure for individual home owners and building owners. Many examples of homes and building that are energy autonomous exist around the world, so take these existing technologies, and implement them as a rollout across the existing grid (instead of the smart grid), so that this aging grid can simply be abandoned without any need to spend any more money on it. Ultimately the economics of this model are far more sound than the so called smart grid. Each of these millions of home and building owners will own and control their own energy supply, just like they own their own cars and trucks although certainly these energy systems are much simpler and easier to maintain than conventional gasoline cars and trucks are today. Community micro grids can autonomously supply commercial and industrial infrastructure, in order to supplement any energy demand that can't be met by rooftop and other autonomous local onsite energy systems.

Autonomous renewable energy systems make so much economic sense and yet you are never likely to hear about it. Why? So called "experts" and mainstream media owe their existence, their jobs, and their future to the idea of a smart grid, controlling centralized power generation. The largest and most powerful organizations in the world, oil/coal/gas/uranium producing nations and corporations, and their subsidiary industries like financial institutions, utility companies, large generators, marketing firms, entertainment industries and related corporations, actually pay for the existence of media and government in one form or another. That also explains why they currently receive so much of our tax dollars as subsidies while at the same time being exempted from paying taxes at the same rates as we individuals. It also explains why they don't have to pay to dump their garbage into our air. It makes no sense from an individual real humans perspective, which you would think is who controls and runs these nations and corporations. However, the individual people in these institutions are controlled by the imperative of the institutions themselves. Nations that "produce" oil, corporations that "produce" oil exist in our current global economic system to do these things on a grand forever growing scale, to meet the demand that they've created, and in competition with all others, with legal and principled obligations, on behalf their funding sources and "shareholder" owners, to make growing profits. Since economic power in our system trumps all other power and control, these, the most powerful and controlling institutions fight for their best interests, and future growth and survival. 

Returning power to the people, giving people their true democratic rights, this requires autonomous energy systems. Without this autonomy the institutions that currently profit and control the world will insist that we need to give them our tax dollars to build a smart grid, so that they can continue to grow and profit. Truth is that our only chance for survival is a switch to autonomous renewable energy systems that pay for themselves by elliminating the expense of a smart grid or any centralized forms of energy supply. On the simple basis of what is morally right and just for future generations we must stop taxing individuals to subsidize powerful nation states and corporations that profit from non-renewables like oil/coal/gas/uranium, with subsidies and without any cost applied to dumping their garbarge into the air and water we share. The truth is very simple if we want to survive. We must remove all subsidies to non-renewables that pollute our world including anything to do with oil/coal/gas/uranium. We must tax emissions of pollutants at a rapidly increasing pace over the next few years, starting now. Failure to do so, by our leaders and by a lack of large scale popular demand, at this stage, is tantamount to the worst possible crimes against humanity, given the scientific evidence for colossal levels of death and destruction for future generations, and much of nature in general, if we don't make these changes now. Finally, the tool of economics needs a third lever beyond removal of subsidies and taxing pollution, given the circumstance. Every household on earth, through a program like the German feed-in tariff must be provided with an autonomous renewable energy system, paid for either directly or through a financing scheme where the costs are more than paid for by the income, easily financed through the savings in removed subsidies to oil/coal/gas/uranium and pollution taxes. Net economic activity will be the same. The result will be a restoration of the truth, justice, democracy, a future for generations to come and ultimately world peace, and economic equity and equal human rights for all.

We the people are currently losing the war in the fight for our future, the future for our children and future generations, but also for all of nature. Economics and technology are tools we choose to use as humans in order to make our lives better. The truth must inform our choices. Universal humans rights, our greatest achievement in ever striving to find the truth of human existance dictates that we act now in the face of the worst injustices ever perpetrated against humanity, with far greater consequences for those of us alive today and more especially to future generations, if we don't act now, to stop destroying the future of life. Perhaps the greatest irony in human history thus far is that Germany, that nation that was lead down the path of the worst crimes against humanity thus far, should now, in so many ways be the leading beacon of light in our fight against a far greater evil than the world has ever known. These are heart wrenching horrific comparisons and connections to have to draw, however, we are in those darkest days, when hope and lights glimmer is starting to fade. We have so little time left to act decisively and effectively. Fellow citizens of mother earth, leaders and workers, rich and poor, and every human that loves life and hopes for a future for their children and future generations, understand this truth: we, each of us, must do everything in our power to move to the use of 100% renewable energy and 100% renewable resources in the next ten to sixteen years. Today we begin that greatest of lifes gifts, a war to end all wars, we are fighting now for the future of life on earth, we are fighting for the greatest idea in human history so far, world peace.

---

Note:

Please read the following two articles that lead me to write this article.

- Global Warming's Terrifying New Math - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719#ixzz2164GVmOM

- Five times as much oil, coal, gas...as scientists think is safe to burn... - http://openipub.com/?pub=ipub.cfm&ipub=853