The world's first geothermal power plant was built in Larderello, Italy in 1911. It is still producing enough power for a million homes today. Geothermal power already supplies 26% of electrical power in Iceland and the Philippines and 5% of California's at prices that are competitive with coal power. Geothermal power plants run 24 hours a day with an uptime of over 90%. They require no fuel and produce no pollution. Coal and atomic power plants need much more maintenance downtime, so they only operate an average of 75% and 65% of the time. Wind and solar power are even worse, producing an average of only 30% and 24% of their rated power.

Why then, do we use coal to produce most of our power? We dig thousands of miles of tunnels or blast the tops off of mountains and ship the coal thousands of miles just to burn it to make steam. Every step of this process is an environmental nightmare so bad that we have ruined the earth and upset the entire climate balance of our planet. Acid rain has killed our forests and coral reefs and mercury emissions have made it dangerous to eat most fish.

We started burning coal because it was easy at first. The environmental problems didn't become apparent until the scale of coal burning became massive. Coal became big business with lots of political clout that squeezed out all competitors including geothermal. Energy policy today spends billions to subsidize coal and develop "clean coal" technology but nothing at all on geothermal development. The fossil fuel Juggernaut tramples all alternatives that threaten the status quo.

Geothermal power today is mostly done in natural geyser or hot spring areas where underground water in contact with hot rocks below produces steam near the surface. However, deep drilling methods developed by the oil industry make is theoretically possible to build geothermal plants in places where the earth's crust is deeper, like the eastern United States. Old oil wells are often rehabilitated by drilling another hole nearby and injecting water to push the oil out. The mixture of oil and water that comes out is very hot. This hot water is now considered a nuisance but if it's heat were used to generate power, tens of thousands of megawatts (MW) could be generated in Texas alone with a cost payoff of only three years.

A recent MIT report studies the potential of similarly injecting water into hot rocks purely for the purpose of generating power in non-thermal areas like the Eastern U.S. The report concludes that hot rocks are a rich resource that should be developed now. The research cost of such a development would be much less than the billions already being spent on "clean coal" and nuclear power. Since the water used is recirculated back into the ground, geothermal power consumes a tiny fraction of the massive water consumption of a coal or atomic power plant.

Atlantic Geothermal has a very ambitious plan using tunneling technology similar to that used to construct the tunnel under Mont Blanc to build a 50 foot wide tunnel 80 miles long and three deep. Using 1500 ft. boreholes laterally to expand the heat extraction field, the system could generate 1600 MW of power, nearly matching the output of Hoover dam. Since the entire system except for input and output facilities is underground and maintained by hydrostatic pressure, the visual impact above ground would be insignificant. While this project sounds grandiose, it is no more so than Hoover Dam itself. It is a much better use for government money, which is now being wasted on hydrogen and "clean coal" projects.

Early in this century energy technology took a wrong turn when geothermal power was overshadowed by cheap coal and oil. Now the oil is running out and the unintended consequences of coal are killing people and ruining the planet. The problem now is a political one. Energy policy is determined by experts and lobbyists from the fossil fuel industry. We must derail the fossil energy juggernaut before it is too late.

Thomas R. Blakeslee is president of The Clearlight Foundation, a non-profit organization that invests in renewable energy and other socially useful companies and issues cash grants to individuals who are working effectively for change.

Brad and Chery Fricke were puzzling over the logistics of supplying power to 145 acres of land they hoped to use for a rotational cattle grazing operation when help came from an unexpected source. Brad's father introduced him to Henry Rentz—a rancher, electrician and general contractor—who believes in the value of using power from the sun. Henry, currently the vice president of Installation Services for Farmergy, Inc., knew the Fricke's power needs could be supplied by a carefully designed solar system. Running electric lines any distance from the main supply is not cheap, and the Frickes were looking at an $18,000 dollar price tag to deliver power to the edge of their property.

To complicate matters, there wasn't a water source where the electricity would be delivered; a well would also need to be drilled. As an alternative, Henry proposed a solar system that would power fences, irrigation sprinklers, and two pumps drawing water from a pond in the middle of the property. The Frickes decided to use alternative energy and ended up with 12 solar panels, each with a 150-watt capacity. The panels are mounted together on a dual axis tracking system, that allows them to move and follow the sun, thereby maximizing the available solar energy. Backup batteries are charged when more electricity is produced than needed; these batteries can supply power for several days when light levels are low.

Brad is pleased with the performance of the solar panels and backup batteries, which have been running continuously without any power lapses since August 2005. The power supply is ample for the fencing demands, and the two pumps together can deliver 120 gallons of water a minute for irrigation and watering tanks. The intensive grazing system allows the Frickes to manage 400 head with room to expand and enough electricity for future needs.

The Frickes were fortunate to receive a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that helped cover some of the project costs. Many states offer similar incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy. Farms and businesses in rural locations are ideally situated to take advantage of the new technologies. Renewable energy systems can provide a reliable and environmentally friendly power alternative, and with rising fuel costs, one that makes economic sense as well.