In last week's edition of The Scope, Ritchie Gordon of Alcona requested in his letter to the editor that I provide an alternative to wind energy.

I can do that. First of all, in his letter he states that he would rather see tax money go into something that is not destroying the planet and takes minimal resources to build. These towers are 450 feet tall, made of steel, with a concrete base containing 450 tons of concrete. How is that minimal resources?

The carbon footprint for building one wind tower is enormous. As for a viable alternative to wind energy, the magic bullet that I speak of is hydrogen fuel cells.

Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen gas to create heat and electricity, the waste byproduct is water, which you can drink. The units themselves are compact, about the size of a large household fridge. Their carbon footprint is very small compared to a wind turbine that requires hundreds of tons of concrete and steel. You don't see them on the landscape ruining the perfect view that Canadians cherish. They can run during peak energy times, when demand is high and energy more expensive. They create energy all the time, not just when the wind blows. They are selfsustaining units that don't use energy from the grid to keep working. They do not harm bats, birds, wildlife or create concerns for people in the areas where in use. When their life cycle ends, they are easily dismantled and recycled. Imagine the work crew and machinery required to dismantle a 450 foot wind tower and remove the tons of concrete that make up the base.

The company I am talking about is Ballard Power, located in Burnaby, British Columbia. They have been developing fuel cell technology for 20 years. Their fuel cell technology is found in public transportation buses, cars and vans powered with zero emissions, material handling for industry, back-up power for business and cogeneration units for homes.

Wind turbines are built overseas in Denmark and Germany, while Ballard fuel cell systems are built in Canada, providing much needed jobs to the manufacturing sector.

Ballard cogeneration systems have been used in Japan successfully since 2003. A one-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell is installed in your home with a hot water tank. Hydrogen is produced from kerosene or natural gas and processed by the fuel cell producing heat and electricity. The heat produced goes into the hot water heater, and the electricity powers your home. A computer system tells how much power you are using off the grid (if any), this way you are able to control energy consumption.

Japan imports its energy and has some of the world's highest costs of electricity. This system saves Japanese consumers $600 to $800 per year per household and reduces household CO2 emissions by 30 to 40 per cent annually.

My next house will have one of these units installed in it. It won't bother my neighbors or harm the environment. It will save me money, cut down on the CO2 emissions that I contribute to and my house will truly be green.

Chris England,

Cookstown