Renewable Energy: A Viable Choice

Abstract

Renewable energy systems—notably solar, wind, and biomass—are poised to play a major role in the energy economy and in improving the environmental quality of the United States. California’s energy crisis focused attention on and raised fundamental questions about regional and national energy strategies. Prior to the crisis in California, there had been too little attention given to appropriate power plant siting issues and to bottlenecks in transmission and distribution. A strong national energy policy is now needed. Renewable technologies have become both economically viable and environmentally preferable alternatives to fossil fuels. Last year the United States spent more than $600 billion on energy, with U.S. oil imports climbing to $120 billion, or nearly $440 of imported oil for every American. In the long term, even a natural gasbased strategy will not be adequate to prevent a buildup of unacceptably high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recent Third Assessment Report and the National Academy of Sciences’ recent analysis of climate change science concluded that climate change is real and must be addressed immediately—and that U.S. policy needs to be directed toward implementing clean energy solutions. 1 Renewable energy technologies have made important and dramatic technical, economic, and operational advances during the past decade. A national energy policy and climate change strategy should be formulated around these advances. Despite dramatic technical and economic advances in clean energy systems, the United States has seen far too little research and development (R&D) and too few incentives and sustained programs to build markets for renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency programs. 2 Not since the late1970s has there been a more compelling and conducive environment for an integrated, large-scale approach to renewable energy innovation and market expansion. 3 Clean, low-carbon energy choices now make both economic and environmental sense, and they provide the domestic basis for our energy supply that will provide security, not dependence on unpredictable overseas fossil fuels. Energy issues in the United States have created “quick fix” solutions that, while politically expedient, will ultimately do the country more harm than good. It is critical to examine all energy options, and never before have so many technological solutions been available to address energy needs. In the near term, some expansion of the nation’s fossil fuel (particularly natural gas) supply is warranted to keep pace with rising demand, but that expansion should be balanced with measures to develop cleaner energy solutions for the future. Our best short-term options for the United States are energy efficiency, conservation, and expanded markets for renewable energy.