Re-Energizing America: A Common-Sense Approach to Achieving U.S. Energy Independence In Our Generation

Reviewed by Robert Pritchett

Author: Jay Marhoefer jay@re-energizingamerica.com http://www.re-energizingamerica.com/ WingSpan Press P.O. Box 2085 Livermore, CA 94551 Phone: 866 SELF PUB (866-735-3782) http://www.wingspanpress.com Released: 2007. $19 USD Softcover, $29 USD Hardcover. eBook, $13 USD. ISBN: 1-978-59594-139-8   Strengths: The Energy Declaration of Independence concept is the anchor for this book.   Weaknesses: Depends heavily on Hydrogen technology as the main solution to resolving energy issues. Has various typos in the text.

Introduction

The time has come to pursue a bold, visionary energy policy that takes permanent and sustainable action toward ending U.S. reliance on Persian Gulf oil and addressing global warming. But avoiding the failures of the last 30 years requires us to ask different questions.

Re-Energizing America asks these questions—the right questions—and its answers to them provide the basis for transforming the role of energy in society. Its proposals are based on a simple premise: the key to climate-friendly U.S. energy independence is to create collective, personal energy independence. By integrating renewable, hydrogen, and computer technologies with the existing electricity and natural gas infrastructure, we can create a national network of nearly self-sufficient energy consumers— the energy grassroots, or enroots — resulting in sustainable, climate-friendly energy independence.

 

Re-Energizing America contains the following chapters:

 

1. Common (energy) sense: The case for energy independence.
2. Intelligent generation: Making energy smart.
3. Something old, new, borrowed and green: Excess capacity and the marriage of solar and wind energy.
4. The 8 percent tax-free energy bond: Why intelligent generation is a compelling economic proposition now.
5. Come and they will build it: A bottom-up, grassroots approach to energy independence.
6. Roadtops, slot cars and automatic driver: How the fuel cell will transform the automotive industry.
7. The democratization of energy: De-utilization, intra/inter-sector competition and hydrogen barons.
8. A continental energy strategy: Why Canada and Mexico are crucial to ending American oil vulnerability.
9. Skipping a generation: Why China and India will drive the U.S. quest for energy independence.
10. A floor on petroleum prices: Countering the Saudi/OPEC response.
11. DI2: A second Declaration of Independence.

What I got out of the book

Jay Marhoefer actually signed my copy of the book.

 

Based on my reading I changed the name of our alternative energy store from Three-Rivers Solar and Science Center to 3-Rivers Synergy Centre. Why? Because Jay is cognizant of the fact that no one source will meet all energy demands and a balanced mix of various technologies makes sense. Thus, “Synergy” of energy instead of putting all eggs in one basket for energy independence.

 

As a lawyer, Jay’s approach was to trademark the name “Intelligent Generation”. I would have called it Intelligent Energy Generation, but perhaps that was already taken at the Trademark Office.

 

The gist of the book is that we in the United States of America are hooked on petroleum and we are facing an energy crisis if we do not refocus attention on alternative energy sources.

 

The threat to our independence is summed up in Jay’s sentence;

“We, the citizens of the United States live at the whim of foreign oil powers, including those hostile toward our national interests, and depend on their good will and economic self-interest for our ordinary, basic American way of life.”

 

His Declaration of Independence is also a one-sentence line-item;

“It should be the explicit goal of the United States that by July 4^th, 2026 p the 250^th anniversary of American Independence – this country will have eliminated its need to import crude oil and its refined products from the Persian Gulf and will have done so in a way that creates sustainable economic prosperity and dramatically reduces production of greenhouse gasses.”

 

I thought the chapter on “Something old, new, borrowed and green” did a great job showing the strengths and weaknesses of dependence on either solar or wind for power production.

What struck me a bit odd was his seemly total dependence on Hydrogen as being the killer app in solving the energy issues of the day, especially with reliance on the yet-to-be-released hydrogen-making systems that cost less than the energy required to produce them.

 

A whole chapter is devoted to a “what-if” future-think transportation with hydrogen-based fuel-cell system vehicles that have modular chassis to swap out vehicle skins based on the skateboard concept for auto-shopping (pardon the pun) and commuting with the “roadtop”. Jay didn’t trademark that name yet, but he might.

 

The chapter on “The 8-percent, tax-free energy bond” was very compelling to me. A scenario of comparing an alternative energy system (Intelligent Generation^tm) as an investment vs. a 5% CD or other financial investment vehicle (pun intended) shows that this provides a better return than the stock market. He also addresses the tax policy issues and how Congress could help turn things around by offering better incentives. He also looks at these ideas more deeply in the Appendix.

 

I appreciate the occasional tongue-in-cheek headings such as “Policy wants a cracker”, “Utility Theory”, “Continental Shrift”.

 

Conclusion

Here is a book that throws down the gauntlet to the energy barons of the world and invites them to shift towards alternative energy solutions that help remove our dependence on non-renewable energy resources.

 

Prove me wrong, but I don’t see Hydrogen as being the “killer app” in this situation today, yet Jay Marhoefer does. Perhaps because of his unique position as energy consultant and strategist, he has some inside information we are not privy to yet.

 

Recommendation

I’d say if the 2^nd Declaration of Independence is intriguing to you, than get this book. There are also source materials and endnotes that contain valuable information as well. This is definitely grist for the mental mill.