Old laws obstruct new energy concepts

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City and state law books need updating to reflect the 21st century reality of energy prices.

Two examples were spotlighted in the Journal Star in recent days.

As Lincolnite Laura LaDue learned, she has to wear a helmet while driving her three-wheel electric car because it’s classified as a motorcycle under state law. So do her passengers

She even needed a motorcycle license to drive the car, called a Xebra.

That’s absurd.

All she wanted to do was save some money and help the environment. The car accomplishes those goals. A full charge that propels the Xebra about 25 to 40 miles at a top speed of 40 miles per hour costs only 14 cents.

“The design and concept of the new vehicles that are coming out is ahead of the vehicle definitions that are in our statutes,” said Betty Johnson, an official with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

LaDue has contacted state senators in hopes that someone will change the law and allow her to take off her helmet, which she thinks obstructs her vision and makes driving the vehicle more dangerous.

Also standing in the path of Lincoln residents who would like to harness the power of the wind to generate electricity are zoning laws that make it almost impossible to install wind turbines.

Proposals to change those requirements already are under way. City Planner Mike DeKalb is drafting changes to the city zoning code that would legalize the turbines.

Small wind turbines with blades about four feet in diameter and mounted on a roof like a satellite dish can generate between 400 and 700 kilowatt hours a month.

A turbine of that can be purchased for around $3,500, plus installation costs of about $500. Savings on a residential electric bill would run about $25 to $45 a month at the new rates just approved for the Lincoln Electric System. Tax credits are available to farmers, ranchers, businesses and communities under 50,000.

Even with the latest LES rate, it probably would would take more than 10 years to pay for the system. That may change, however, as the price of fossil fuels is projected to continue rising rapidly. And wind turbines with larger blades generate more electricity.

Already in place in Lincoln is approved “net metering,” which allows consumers who generate their own electricity with wind or photovoltaic solar panels to sell power to LES at retail rates.

Certainly as local and state officials consider changing laws to give local citizens more energy options, other concerns such as safety also will have to be weighed. There’s little doubt, however, that the existing laws are far too obstructive.