Fri, Nov 27 2009
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Published May 16, 2009 09:01 am - America has always had cheap and abundant energy. With or without “cap-and-trade” policies, that is going to change. Emissions policy up for debate: Globe blogger Anson Burlingame offers his opinion Editor’s note: Three Joplin Globe bloggers weigh in with their viewpoints. For more from these bloggers and others, log on to www.joplinglobe.com. Cost and availability of energy
America has always had cheap and abundant energy. With or without “cap-and-trade” policies, that is going to change. National Security, global warming — if true — and pure environmental factors other than global warming will continue to drive up cost. They may even restrict the abundance at any cost. We flirted with $4 to $5 automobile fuel costs last year. Such cost will inevitably return and go higher. We have not yet seen $500 electric bills for a normal home but it is coming as well. It is just a matter of time. In my view, the short-term priority is to eliminate any dependence on foreign sources of energy, primarily oil. National security is the primary motivator, and continuing to clean up the environment a secondary though important consideration. The technology is available right now to achieve that short-term goal. Hybrid and soon all-electric automobiles will solve the transportation issues. Nuclear power and clean coal could quickly solve the immediate power generation issue. Elimination of dependence on fossil fuels is a longer-term goal, but certainly a worthy and necessary one. New technology is the key. The technology must not just be applied to power generation, however. A totally revolutionary “grid” to deliver power to users is also needed. Wind power from North Dakota and Wyoming and solar power from the southwest must be made available to both coasts and industrial Midwest. Multibillion-dollar transmission lines are not the answer. Eventually the global energy market will force such changes. Europe has already adapted to $10 automobile fuel costs, and about 80 percent of power generation is nuclear in Western Europe. Europeans have adapted to small cars and recycling nuclear waste without great social unrest. “Cap and trade” is simply a government tool to anticipate the market. Its advantage is to generate funds to speed growth in technology and reduce the environmental impact of continuing energy consumption. The big disadvantage is to artificially inflate energy costs. In the near term, I seriously doubt that cap and trade will prevail. The inflation of energy costs will make it politically untenable. Even if it is the right thing to do today, the political animals in Washington cannot withstand such pressure. The increase in energy costs will be just another legacy for our kids. Anson Burlingame lives in Joplin. For more of his thoughts on this issue and others, read his blog, “I’m not sure, are you?” 
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