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 If we make the right energy choices today, Americans can have cleaner air, less global warming pollution, vibrant public lands and reasonably priced power far into the future. Unfortunately, President Bush's energy plan will not accomplish these goals. His plan focuses on the wrong choices - to produce more coal, oil, gas and nuclear power - with insufficient emphasis on energy efficiency and cleaner alternatives.
We need an honest, balanced energy plan that gives us quicker, cleaner, cheaper and safer energy solutions.
We can have clean energy and a healthy environment. But we must urge President Bush to choose wisely - for our families, for our future.
Quicker - Increasing energy efficiency technology and fuel efficiency will decrease our energy use and help relieve summer shortages immediately. In addition, wind turbines can be installed in six months and new, combined-cycle natural gas plants can begin saving energy and reducing pollution from old, dirty and inefficient plants by next year.
Cleaner - By choosing energy options such as solar, wind and energy-efficient technologies, we can protect our clean air, clean water and climate.
Cheaper - Not only do we save energy by using more efficient appliances and technologies, such as compact fluorescent lightbulbs, but we save billions of dollars, too. Raising fuel economy standards for cars, SUVs and other light trucks will save consumers $45 billion a year at the gas pump.
Safer - An energy plan that provides a strong balance of efficiency, renewable energy and cleaner natural gas production is safer for our public health and environment.
WHAT DOES A BALANCED ENERGY PLAN INCLUDE?
1. A Balanced Energy Plan Includes Efficiency Measures
INCREASE FUEL EFFICIENCY
Raising miles per gallon standards to 40 mpg for cars and light trucks would cut carbon dioxide pollution by 600 million metric tons, save consumers at least $45 billion each year at the gas pump, and save three million barrels of oil per day. This is more oil than we get from Persian Gulf imports, the Arctic wildlife refuge and California offshore oil drilling combined.
INTRODUCE GREATER EFFICIENCY MEASURES
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory estimates federal agencies would save $1 billion annually if they installed currently available, energy-efficient technologies, such as compact fluorescent lightbulbs and efficient appliances. Further, if Americans bought only Energy Star appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines, we would shrink our energy bills by more than $100 billion.
PROVIDE TAX INCENTIVES FOR EFFICIENT NEW BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT
Offering tax credits for the use of efficient equipment and building designs would bring immediate results. These credits would cut our demand for electricity and natural gas faster than new plants, transmission lines, and pipelines can be built.
STRENGTHEN ENERGY-EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR APPLIANCES AND BUILDINGS
Introducing new standards for residential and commercial heating equipment, commercial air conditioners and electrical transformers would result in huge energy savings.
2. A Balanced Energy Plan Includes Renewable Energy
WIND POWER
When appropriately sited, wind generation can provide massive amounts of clean energy. It is estimated that the states of South Dakota, North Dakota and Texas have enough wind to provide electricity for the entire United States. This form of power is quickly becoming competitive with other forms of energy - by the end of 2001, the U.S. Department of Energy expects an additional 4,600 megawatts of wind power generation to be in place, enough to provide for 1.7 million more households. More must be done - North Dakota is ranked No. 1 in the nation in wind resources but has no wind farm of its own, nor transmission lines to move power to where it is needed.
SOLAR POWER
Solar energy is so abundant that the sunlight the Earth receives in 30 minutes is equivalent to all the power used by humankind in one year. When appropriately sited, solar energy creates no pollution and is the most environmentally friendly source of power currently available. It is already used by 200,000 homes in the United States. One system that converts solar energy into heat - and is used to heat the buildings of Ford, General Motors and Federal Express - is already saving about $400,000 per year in avoided fuel costs, and reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million pounds.
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
When geothermal energy is captured, it can provide us with a large supply of energy. Careful assess-ments can enable us to access this type of energy without harming our public lands. The United States has an installed geothermal generating capacity of about 2,700 megawatts — the equivalent of about 58 million barrels of oil — and provides enough electricity for 3.7 million people.
BIOMASS POWER
By 2010, biomass power (converting carbon from organic matter into energy) could provide an additional 3,000 megawatts of electric capacity in the U.S. — enough electricity for more than 13 million people. Biomass production does not need to and should not involve the destruction of existing forests, including national or native forests as well as remaining old-growth or roadless areas.
3. A Balanced Energy Plan Includes Cleaner and More Efficient Fossil Fuel Production
REPLACE OLD POWER PLANTS WITH EFFICIENT PLANTS
New, high efficiency combined-cycle gas-fired power plants are twice as efficient and can be 10 times cleaner than old gas plants, but they must be sited appropriately.
TRANSPORT GAS FROM PRUDHOE BAY
An estimated 35 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves is located in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Research is needed on how to transport this gas to the Lower 48 in the most environmentally sensitive way.
MAXIMIZE PRODUCTION FROM EXISTING OIL AND GAS WELLS
The Department of Energy estimates that we could recover an additional one million barrels of oil per day, and up to 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas by using advanced technology in existing wells.
IMPROVE TRANSMISSION LINES
We have more energy than we can transport because of insufficient transmission lines. By upgrading transmission lines from traditional energy sources and improving transmission to new sources of renewable energy, we could increase the capacity and efficiency of transporting energy from one location to another in existing transmission line corridors. For example, one company has developed a new high capacity transmission line for existing towers that can carry up to three times as much electricity as an old transmission line and can even be installed on existing towers.
Photo: Windmills at Altamont Pass, California
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