Elon Musk Calls For Technology In Alternative Energy

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Elon Musk is the billionaire businessman who created Tesla and Space X, and is a very vocal proponent for alternative energy as a method of reducing carbon footprints.  He realizes that the issues with alternative energy production are rooted squarely in the advancements of technology, which he alludes to in a new documentary called "Before the Flood." In the film, Musk discusses that the global stranglehold on technological advancement is caused by the fossil fuel industry lobbying governments to stifle technological advancement by starving it of funding.  As he proved with his Space X project, when funding is cut from a program all advancement stops.

Musk discusses the need for more technological advancement, but does not go into specifics regarding what that means.  A real example of the way that technological advancement can further the progress toward adoption of renewable energy sources comes in the form of the connection between industrial surge protection and solar energy.  Many people understand the basic workings of the solar energy industry, that a solar panel collects sunlight and transforms it into electricity for public consumption.  How this process actually works is a mystery to many, and as a result they probably do not understand how advancing technology can benefit the world.  Sunlight is collected on solar panels which are continually moved to be directly in the sun's path.  This is accomplished through the use of computerized equipment that is directly connected to the panels through power lines.  Solar panels are often damaged by lightning strikes, as they are generally placed in remote areas and subjected to harsh weather.  Although the complete prevention of damage to the panels from lightning strikes is nearly impossible, the prevention of the damage to the connected computer equipment as a result of the surge is accomplished through the installation of surge protection devices.  When these devices perform their job after a lightning strike occurs, they do so by breaking the connection between the equipment and the panel and preventing the flow of electricity which will damage circuitry.  After this is accomplished, the system is offline until the connection is re-established by maintenance workers.  The latest and most advanced solar surge protection equipment has the ability to stay online and maintain the connection after performing it's protection duty, allowing the solar panel system to stay producing power for the maximum amount of time the sun is available.  By maximizing the amount of time that a free energy fuel source is usable, surpluses of power can be created and prices are reduced.

In plain English, the advancement of the technology involved in surge protection devices has directly impacted the green energy production industries, allowing them to be more efficient and as a result reduce the costs that must be paid by consumers.  If the price for electricity produced using alternative energy sources drops below that of fossil fuel production, then there is no longer a reason to support the method of production that creates more environmental issues.  The debate over the climate ends, and the world benefits from the advanced technology with lower power prices and a cleaner environment.

Elon Musk understands that money is necessary in order to advance technology, as there is money being invested in its suppression.  The industries that benefit from keeping alternative energy production expensive invest heavily in making sure that advancement happens as slowly as possible so as to prevent competition within their space.  This tragedy can be overcome with education and social commentary, discussing examples just like the one named above.  The planet will eventually move to alternative energy as a mainstay, and Elon Musk wants to get there sooner rather than later.