Energy issues will play a prominent role in the political discussions in Washington D.C. over the next year or two. Everyone believes that we must lower our dependence on foreign oil imports and that we must be better custodians of our environment. The proof will be in the final national energy strategy developed and the incentives legislation will enact to drive that strategy to action.
Building wind generators and constructing transmission lines should prove beneficial to the country but they in themselves are not enough. A real world energy strategy must also account for the laws of physics and economics as well.
Replacing oil imports will require the United States to fully exploit its domestic energy resources in a way to displace oil such as greater use of electric cars. But half of America’s electricity comes from burning coal. Proposals to double wind, solar and Biofuels capacity over the next three years can be done, but this only generates enough new electric energy for anticipated new growth and does not address the needed base-load generation to sustain our economy.
The energy future of this country will continue to depend upon coal and nuclear generation. Monies are needed for research and development of new clean coal technologies and safe nuclear reactors and fuel storage systems.
The electric industry is facing huge challenges in a world which is moving to lower our carbon footprint. I believe we can develop a national energy strategy which incorporates the use of all available energy resources and deploys them in a cost effective manner to retain our reliability. I believe we can respond to the challenges of that new world with imagination and innovation to become energy secure and incorporate environmental solutions.
Yes we can do it, but we must be smart in setting our national energy strategy which becomes the driver for change. This is the middle ground and the reality of what needs to be discussed by our politicians. We intend to be at the table to help shape that debate for our customers here in Nebraska.
