It is increasingly being recognized that the world has to replace fossil fuels with alternate fuels. This recognition is being driven by three premises:

First: Fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas, are accelerating in cost as they are consumed in ever-increasing amounts. The February 12, 2008 issue of the Wall Street Journal has two articles to re-enforce this premise. The first article, "China Spurs Coal-Price Surge," by Shai Oster and Ann Davis, informs us that the price of coal out of Newcastle, Australia has increased from $40 USD at the start of 2007to $125 USA at the 2008. The article goes on to inform us that coal will join oil and natural gas in 2015 as sources that are depleting.

The second article, "The Future of World Oil Supply - Filling the Missing Link," by Peter Jackson and Keith Eastwood ,informs us that the world's oil fields will reach peak production around 2025 and then start a rapid decline in production. Second: Oil and gas imports from foreign sources raise concerns over our long-term energy security. We all have witnessed the jump in oil prices caused by wars, strikes and disrupted supplies. Gregory Meyers' article in the same issue of the Wall Street Journal cited Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' threat to disrupt the supply of oil to the USA because of a dispute with Exxon Mobil Corp. This threat caused a 2% increase in the price of crude oil.

Third: Burning fossil fuels dumps carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. The dumping of the pollutants is considered a fact. The severity of the damage to our atmosphere is still being debated, but most scientists believe that the future consequences will be very damaging to the quality and affordability of the lifestyles of our current and future generations.

Fortunately, renewable energies are accelerating into the forefront to replace fossil fuels, but will the replacement be in time? Germany has adopted wind and solar energies and is leading the world in the replacement of fossil fuels. These alternate fuels are quickly being adopted in many countries to help replace fossil fuels. These countries provide a blueprint for the USA to follow and in replacing its dependence on fossil fuels. The most popular replacements are wind and solar energy. Both of these technologies require us to rethink our energy policies.

There is a third leg available for the replacement of fossils fuels, geothermal energy. This type of energy offers us a potential to replace our coal fired electrical generating plants by 2050. It is available and being utilized today. It is the third leg of the tripod that we need to replace fossil fuels in time to retain our quality of life. What is Geothermal Energy?.

Geothermal energy is derived from the heat in the interior of the earth. Geothermal systems move the heat from the earth into the home in the winter and discharge heat into the ground in the summer. Underground piping serves as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. In essence, it is the same heat-exchanging process used by the common refrigerator or air conditioner. Heat from the earth can be used as an energy source in many ways, from large and complex power stations to small and relatively simple pumping stations. Examples of this heat energy can be found almost anywhere. It can be found as far away as remote, deep wells in Indonesia and as close as our own backyard.

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