The United State is one of leading consumer of fossils fuels. Being a high consumer of petroleum means that US government spends a lot of money to import the petroleum since its local production is not sufficient to meet its demand. The united State of America has initiated various incentives as a strategy to cut down the consumption of fossil fuel in the country. Among the incentive that it has implemented is giving credit tax to consumers that purchase automobile or install gargets that use alternative sources of energy (Guinness, 2007).
The US government should continue offering such incentives to consumers that turn from petroleum designed products to use devices that use alternative sources of energy as a strategy to motivate more Americans to adapt the renewable energies, since they are more economical and environmental friendly.
The use of alternative energy is more advanced and widely embraced in many European countries such as Germany, Denmark, and Spain among others. These countries foresaw the impending risks that were associated on over dependence on fossils fuel and opted to enhance alternative fuels. For instance, Germany offered huge incentives to its citizens early enough to boost the demand for solar modules in the country.
In addition, similar incentives were given to promote installation of wind power in farms and to support the biofuels industries. Germany was success in implementing the alternative energy adversely due to its progressed alternative energy policy framework that enabled it to develop alternative intellectual property and alternative energy technology in good time (Guinness, 2007).
The development of the alternative energies in these European countries early enough was a very strategic move for them. This meant that these nations have succeeded in cutting down the huge expenses that are associated with the importation of petroleum energy from the Middle East countries.
In the cotemporary world, the demand for alternative sources of energies is very high due to the huge cost associated with fossil fuel and its negative impacts on the environment. Thus, those European countries that are already advanced in the technology will get a lot of money by exporting this technology and intellectual property to those nations such as US that are currently adapting alternative energies (ECONorthwest, 2001).
Adaption of new technologies is often a big challenge. Thus, appropriate incentives are instrumental to inspire consumers to use them. Some of the incentives that are commonly used to boost the use of new technologies include tax credits like the one offered to American consumers that turn to the use of renewable source of energies. Use of subsidiaries is another form of incentives that is also highly influential in convincing consumers to adapt new technologies.
A part from these two incentives, producing firms also give incentives to their clients. Program representatives that introduce themselves to consumers as information mode, helps in educating them about the energy efficiency benefits of the new technologies and also demonstrate to them on how they works. After the success of this program, higher initial incentives trigger promotions that help to enhance sales (Orsini, 2010).
The United State of America should make sure that it continues to give those consumers that turn to alternative source of energy appropriate incentives. These incentives will act as a motivation to other Americans to follow suit. This strategy has worked for other nation; it will also work for US.
Reference List
ECONorthwest. (2001). The Economical Benefit of Renewable Energy and Cost-Economic Efficiency. Web.
Guinness, E. (2007). Should the US subsidize alternative energies? Web.
Orsini, P. (2010). Advocating a Sustainable Approach to Market Transformation. Web.