Alternatives to Fossil Fuels and Pre-Historic Energy Policies
by Kelly Matheson
"More!" best describes the Bush-Cheney national energy policy. More drilling, more power plants, more roads, more air and water pollution, more damage to wildlife habitat and more money for multi-national energy corporations.
The Bush administration justifies this "More!" policy by claiming that America is in the throes of the most serious energy shortage since the oil embargoes of the 1970s and by citing household energy bills two or three times higher than they were a year ago. However, the administration fails to disclose that while consumers face spiking energy prices, many oil, gas and power companies are posting record profits.
For example, Exxon Mobil reaped nearly $18 billion in profits last year, up more than 120 percent over the previous year. Chevron's profits for the same period were up 151 percent, Conoco's up 156 percent, and Texaco's up 116 percent. Given the $22.5 million dumped into the GOP's coffers during the last election campaign, the administration's "more profits" energy policy reflects its close connections with industry leaders.
Wyoming at Ground Zero
In the wake of the administration's push to dramatically expand energy development throughout the West, and given Wyoming's "Open for Business" stance, our state waits like a sitting duck. Wyoming's rich energy-resource base, combined with our government's close ties to industry, places Wyoming at ground zero for energy exploitation. (Please see stories on pages 8-12.)
Our state is the country's fifth largest supplier of natural gas and sixth largest oil-producer. Nearly 90 percent of Wyoming's public lands outside of our national parks and wilderness areas are open to oil and gas development. With runaway coalbed methane development in the Powder River Basin and huge conventional natural gas drilling projects in southwest Wyoming, industry considers our state the "hottest natural gas play" in the country. The administration plans to further escalate the pace of Wyoming's already booming natural gas and coalbed methane development.
Our state also leads the nation in coal production. Coal-burning power plants are the single biggest air polluter in Wyoming and throughout the U.S., generating smog, soot and acid rain, causing respiratory problems and contributing to global warming. Coal production creates ash, sludge and toxic chemicals and wastes billions of gallons of fresh water.
Heedless resource exploitation in some of Wyoming's most treasured landscapes has already polluted our clean air and pure water. Stepped-up energy development and production in these areas would fragment tens of thousands of acres of crucial big-game habitat and migration corridors, threaten the survival of dwindling species such as sage grouse, acidify pristine alpine lakes in several wilderness areas, destroy popular back-country recreation destinations and permanently change the character of Wyoming's wildlands.
The Bush-Cheney energy policy makes a mockery of the President's claims to be a champion of environmental quality and the Vice President's recent remarks during a visit to Wyoming. For him and his wife, Mr. Cheney enthused, "There's only one home, and that's Wyoming. This is simply the best place on earth to draw a deep breath and clear your mind and appreciate the wonders of creation."
Promoting Energy Efficiency
While an environmentally sensitive, forward-looking national energy policy would aggressively promote both the efficient use of energy and the development of renewable energy sources, the Bush Administration's budget slashes funding for renewable energy research and development by at least 36 percent.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, increased use of energy-efficiency measures, combined with new technologies, could save up to 75 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. To achieve greater energy efficiency, the Bush Administration should require the application of technologies and actively encourage consumer activities that eliminate energy waste. Government can achieve this goal with energy codes for new buildings, tax credits and other public incentives.
A wide range of efficient-energy technologies are already available. For example, Bill Prindle of the Alliance to Save Energy estimates that if each household in the U.S. would replace four 100-watt bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, our country would save the energy output generated by approximately 30 coal-fired power plants.
On the manufacturing front, industry has developed a new generation of energy-efficient refrigerators that consume 75 percent less electricity than ones built in the mid-70s, saving 60,000 megawatts of electricity each year. Constructing a power plant to produce the same number of megawatts costs $50 billion, compared to the refrigerator industry's investment of less than $1 billion to produce these more efficient appliances. Similar advances have been achieved with clothes washers, windows and heating and air conditioning systems.
Transportation technology is also making advances. Last summer, Toyota began marketing the first gasoline-electric "hybrid" car, the Prius. This sporty, five-passenger, eco-friendly car provides drivers with the convenience of a gasoline-powered car while emitting only half the carbon dioxide of a regular 1.5-liter gasoline-only engine and reducing the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Renewable Energy Sources
Juxtaposed with our wealth of "dirty" power like coal and oil, Wyoming's wind-blown landscape and sunny skies place us in an ideal position to utilize clean power: wind, the least expensive and fastest-growing renewable energy source; and sun, a multi-million dollar contributor to the world economy through direct sales of solar equipment, indirect sales of related products and the creation of thousands of jobs.
Wind. Wyoming is the seventh largest producer of wind energy in the U.S. The state's wind-energy projects currently provide approximately 74 megawatts of power each year, enough to power about 15,000 homes for the same time period.
According to experts at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC), Wyoming's untapped wind-power potential is virtually limitless and could meet all the energy needs of this state many, many, times over.
Wind technology is also economical. The NWTC estimates that windy locations across the U.S. could easily supply 20 percent of our country's electricity at a cost of as little as $0.025 per kilowatt hour in some locations. In contrast, the current market price for electricity from coal, oil and gas is five to six cents per kilowatt hour.
Sun. Most commonly known as "solar cells," photovoltaic systems are already an important part of our lives. The simplest systems power many of our small calculators and wrist watches. More complicated systems provide electricity for pumping water, powering communications equipment and even lighting our homes and running our appliances. In a surprising number of cases, photovoltaic power is the cheapest form of electricity for performing these tasks.
In addition to the continuously decreasing costs offered by photovoltaic power systems, they are clean and quiet, highly reliable, require virtually no maintenance and can be constructed in any size based on their owners' energy requirements.
The Economics of Alternatives
While economists still debate the precise number of jobs and amount of profits generated by efficient and renewable energy technologies, the experts seem to agree that renewables are making great market advances that are further enhanced when the health and environmental effects of fossil fuels are considered.
For example, a 1992 report completed for the U.S. Department of Energy entitled, Economic Impact of a Photovoltaic (PV) Module Manufacturing Facility, concluded that the production of 34.2 megawatts of photovoltaic production (enough to power approximately 7,000 homes) would lead to direct sales of around $180 million and create approximately 3,801 jobs. Furthermore, direct and indirect impacts come to almost $534 million with employment of 6,942 people in photovoltaics and related manufacturing jobs.
In 1993, Economic Research Associates released a report entitled Colorado's Energy Future: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies as an Economic Development Strategy. The study found that if a strategy based on energy efficiency and renewables were implemented, Colorado residents, by the year 2010, would pay $1.2 billion less in energy bills and enjoy a cleaner environment, with 133,000 tons of energy-related pollutants kept from the air. This alternative energy strategy would support a net increase of 8,400 jobs in the state, adding $171 million in new wage and salary income.
Nationwide, a 1993 analysis done for the U.S. Department of Energy found that a 10 to 20 percent reduction in energy waste by American industry would generate a cumulative increase of $1.94 trillion in gross domestic product over 15 years. By 2010 the study predicted that the improvements would be generating two million new jobs, or roughly 1.5 percent of all jobs in that year.
True Wealth
Upon his departure as Chief of the U.S Forest Service, Michael Dombeck noted that "The mark of a truly wealthy nation is not measured in acres harvested, rivers dammed, oil barrels filled or mountaintops mined. Our maturity is most ably displayed by demonstrating mastery over ourselves."
With rolling blackouts in California, increasing gasoline prices at the pump and mounting environmental concerns, we need a national debate on energy policies. Because the outcome of this debate will shape our economic, social and environmental future, the Bush Administration must seek wise energy solutions that will enhance, not endanger, our quality of life.
Renewable Energy Resources
Learn more about renewable energy sources at the following web sites:
For assistance in designing and installing an efficient renewable-energy system in your home or ranch here in Wyoming, contact:
Creative Energies
Scott Kane and Andy Tyson
801 South Third Street
Lander, Wyoming 82520
(307) 332-7248
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