Switching to renewable energy gets easier

The amount of biodiesel sold in the U.S. has grown from 500,000 gallons in 1999 to roughly 30 million gallons in 2004, said Jenna Higgins, a spokeswoman for the National Biodiesel Board. By comparison, the U.S. burns more than 100 billion gallons of gasoline each year and 4 billion gallons of ethanol, a fuel additive derived from corn.

The Solar Energy Industry Association estimates there are enough photovoltaic panels installed in the U.S. to power about 286,000 homes, up from 60,000 homes in 2000. A considerably smaller group of enthusiasts — perhaps 20,000 homeowners nationwide — have erected wind turbines on their property, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

Push for more tax incentives
Wider acceptance of alternative energy by consumers will require a significant expansion of what is now only a limited patchwork of government refunds and tax incentives.

“If the government subsidized renewable energy the way it does oil and gas, it would be mainstream in no time,” said Mark Prebilic, of Poolesville, Md. He received a $2,000 refund from the state government and a $2,000 tax credit from the federal government when he installed solar panels in 2001 that now provide about a third of his home’s power needs. Prebilic expects to make back the $13,000 investment he made in a little more than 20 years.

Haraz Ghanbari / AP J.D. Doliner shows off the kitchen of her Arlington, Va., home, which was remodeled to use solar energy for electricity and hot water.

Relatively generous government incentives — and ample sunshine — in California has led to the construction of entire neighborhoods with homes that harness the sun’s energy, said Rhone Resch, executive director of the Solar Energy Industry Association in Washington. In Sacramento, Premier Homes sold 95 homes over the past year in the $250,000-$450,000 range that were equipped with solar panels for electricity.

Indeed, Americans tanking up with biofuel or installing solar panels are hardly back-to-the-land types denying themselves modern amenities and living off the grid. Doliner’s 1,500-square-foot suburban home is “green,” with roof shingles made from recycled tires, carpet made from corn starch and insulation that is partly soy-based.

“Our house isn’t made of twigs and granola,” she said.

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