But, this week there are two more episodes of “Google Gone Wild.” The first episode is about the new Google Car, a driverless vehicle that is being tested on California roads. At first glance one might mistake this for the Google Street View car that drives around, taking photos along the highways and byways of the U. S. and beyond.

But, on second glance one will see that the test is really about putting cars on autopilot, saving fuel and making driving more efficient. So far, an Audi and six Priuses have put more than 140,000 miles in driverless mode. Of course, this is high tech so the Google cars use a combination of laser, radar, video cameras and GPS technology in order to navigate and play well with others on the road.

The next episode of Google Gone Wild is the search giant is co-sponsoring a $5 billion Wind Energy Infrastructure Project. The basic idea is to escalate the building of offshore wind turbines. This will aided by building a 350-mile transmission line along the Atlantic coastline.

New Jersey, Virginia and Delaware will be able to hook up to the transmission line with offshore turbines and pipe “the equivalent of five large nuclear reactors worth of energy” onshore.

Google isn’t just about search anymore. When it comes to our environment Google is on a search and rescue mission.

So, what this means is that there will be a cap on how much pollution such as coal-fired power plants and other industrial complexes can emit. If they go above this limit, then they will have to buy credits from other less polluting companies.

Critics of cap and trade use the sky is falling scare tactics of saying that consumer electricity costs will rise by $4,000 per year. Other, more level headed and reasoned types put the increase at around $175 per year for the average family and this won’t kick in until around the year 2020.

While companies such as the coal-fired power plants will be negatively impacted by cap and trade, the benefits will go towards other companies such as renewable energy companies that sell solar, wind, geothermal, biodiesel and other low CO2 fuels.

In fact, the point of cap and trade is to transition from a fossil fuel based economy dependent upon foreign energy into a nation that is energy independent. The transition from coal, oil and natural gas to solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and other less polluting companies and devices will not be without initial pain.

But, the positives are cleaner air, cleaner environment, less dependence upon foreign hostile nations, more jobs in the renewable energy sector and supporting industries and basically keeping the green for ourselves both environmentally and financially.

And, District of Columbia officials have just announced that they will be offering as much as $33,000 to homeowners, businesses, private schools and non-profit organizations to use wind and solar power. This is just begging the question of whether or not the Obama Whitehouse will be going solar anytime soon, or will wind energy be the preference of the new President?

The fact is that solar panels have been appearing and disappearing from the Whitehouse over the years like flapjacks from an all night diner. Former President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed to make a point about using alternative energy sources only to have them removed by Ronald Reagan when he moved into office.

George W. Bush quietly had three solar panel systems installed at the Whitehouse, which have mostly gone unnoticed. The solar panels are used to feed electricity to the cabana, for landscaping use and for the Whitehouse grid.

Now, one wonders whether Barack Obama himself will walk the walk and install additional solar panels at the Whitehouse and in addition put up a wind turbine or two for good measure? As with Carter it would be an appropriate symbolic gesture to install additional solar panels and add wind turbines to the Whitehouse.

Let’s hope the stimulus package is one that is lead by example and devoid of some of the usual Washington DC hot air.

The stimulus package of course isn’t popular with everyone. The politics of doing nothing, however, I believe would have been far worse and especially for green companies in the wind, solar and geothermal fields. Now, the wind projects that have been put on hold the last quarter may be unlocked and start up again. The same for solar contracts as renewable energy under the new stimulus plan is getting $2.5 billion.

The big winners in the package are wind, solar, energy conservation and transportation. Rail and other transit projects get a whopping $17.7 billion in the package. It’s not clear, however, how this will be divided up between public transportation such as buses and rail and emerging markets such as hydrogen cars, plug-in hybrids, and battery electric vehicles.

These last items may also come under the $2 billion for advanced battery grants. To help prepare people for taking on the new green jobs that will be created the government is tossing in $500 million for this training.

While the stimulus package is going to be expensive, the whole idea is to stimulate the economy and put people to work. The new twist is that the development of green energy and green jobs not only benefits those with the jobs but will help us all breath a little easier.

Mike has already contacted a couple of U. S. senators about his plan but needs a little more grassroots help in seeing this to fruition. One of the unique features of this proposal is that specific bonds could be issued from specific projects.

For instance, if you want to see wind energy grow more rapidly you can buy “Energy W” bonds to support the building of wind farms. Or if you’d like to see solar succeed, then “Energy S” bonds would be in order. The bonds could also be adapted for certain kinds of transportation as well, such as electric cars, electric trains or presumably even hydrogen vehicles. “Energy H2” bonds anyone?

The bonds would be like standard U. S. savings bonds with colorful and artistic designs, and they mature over time and make money for the holder. The bonds are a loan for the green energy industry and are collected upon at a later date when energy independence is in full swing.

Besides government bailout and government stimulus, this gives individuals direct ownership over a specific part of energy independence or renewable energy they could even pass on to their kids and grandkids. The project looks promising and it just needs a little support.

Pickens plan calls for wind energy to replace natural gas power plants so that CNG vehicles may proliferate and the alternative fuel vehicles of choice in this country. It’s a lofty and controversial plan and not without its detractors.

In fact, this past week the Pickens Plan has taken a financial hit because of the credit crisis. The $10 billion worth of wind farms Pickens planned to put up in the Midwest is now being downsized because he’s having trouble finding investors and getting necessary credit in this tough economy.

Now, in steps Warren Buffet (pictured left), another notable billionaire. Many people know of Warren Buffet because of his immense wealth and relatively frugal lifestyle. They also know that Warren Buffet has endorsed Barack Obama for President.

What many people don’t know is that Warren Buffet is also into alternative energy. The largest investor in CalEnergy, a geothermal alternative energy company is Warren Buffet. In Imperial County, California around the Salton Sea area, CalEnergy is operating 10 geothermal plants. They also plan three more plants within the next few years.

So, if you had to make a choice would you choice T. Boone Pickens and his wind farms to promote as the number one alternative energy resource in the U. S. or would you choose Warren Buffet’s geothermal plants? Hint. Don’t look at the end of this blog for the answer.

By using solar and / or wind power people are not only able to engage in home energy generation to power their houses but some are also powering their vehicles as well. Electric vehicles, hydrogen cars and compressed natural gas vehicles all hold the promise of home refueling and the first two mentioned can be done so without the use of fossil fuels or power company intervention.

With T. Boone Pickens calling for America to access its wind corridor and supply 20-percent of the nations energy needs with this alternative form, people in record numbers have been turning to residential wind turbines to provide power for their own personal home usage.

Photovoltaic is so hot right now, residential solar panels are even been used in master planned communities. With this in mind there are three different eBooks that I am recommending right now. Earth4energy, Home Made Energy and Free Energy Options will all guide you on how to use home energy generation to your optimal advantage by building solar panels and wind turbines to power your home.

Though each eBook is similar, each has its own special way to help consumers achieve energy independence for low cost. Now, that summer is over and we’re starting to head into the cooler months, the cost of home heating oil, natural gas and gasoline are all expected to go north again.

Home energy generation is the only true way to democratize our energy structure in the U. S. and take back what is truly our – personal energy independence.