Crisis Of Confidence Speech Analysis

The term ‘energy crisis’ is not unfamiliar to anyone. For almost have a century this ever-growing issue has been disregarded and dismissed as something trivial and insignificant, allowing it to further intensify and develop into a critical situation; a situation that has resulted in becoming the root of all our problems including the degradation of our environment, the downfall of our economy and the dissolution of our social welfare. During the past three decades, promises have been made, projects have been unsuccessful and the issue still exists. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter delivered his “Crisis of Confidence” speech, whereby he addresses the energy crisis that America was facing due to the lack of oil in the country. In his

speech he says:

“I am tonight setting a clear goal for the energy policy of the United States. Beginning this moment, this nation will never use more foreign oil than we did in 1977 -- never. From now on, every new addition to our demand for energy will be met from our own production and our own conservation.” (Crisis of Confidence, 1979)

Despite Carter’s assuring words, the situation did not improve. In the 1970s, the United States of America imported 24% of their oil. Today that same country, which is considered to be the world’s leading nation, imports three times that amount (Pickens, 2011). A solution to this dire problem is definitely overdue.

Wind Energy

A highly acclaimed substitute for the use of crude oil is the generation of power via wind turbines. Although it cannot be said with absolute certainty, the first windmills date back to about three millenniums ago in Persia and towards the end of the 12th century, they had started to appear on the European boarder (Wizelius, 2007). Today, although they appear different, modern turbines use the same basics as prehistoric ones. Using the principles of simple aerodynamics, wind turbines trap the kinetic energy from the wind and convert it into electrical energy. Whilst doing so, wind turbines do not produce pollution, do not require fuel or batteries to function and do not leave behind any toxic waste material. Hence, wind energy is considered to be a efficient, reliable, renewable energy source.