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Energy In the NewsThe Desert Sun - 6/14/2007
Renewable energy spells economic security (new window)
Gordon Bloom and Moira Chapin Concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil, along with the environmental impacts of fossil fuel usage, have encouraged many nations from Germany to Japan to dramatically ramp up their production of renewable energy. These countries are not only securing their energy independence but also are building modern clean energy economies and creating new high-tech jobs for their citizens. The United States historically has been a leader in the deployment of renewable energy technologies. As recently as the mid-1990s, we were the world's leaders in solar power capacity and No. 2 in wind. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. By 2004, Japan had three times the solar photovoltaic capacity of the United States, while Germany had more than double the capacity. The U.S. is now third in installed wind power capacity behind Germany and Spain. The United States has some of the most abundant and varied renewable resources in the world. We could power the entire country by installing a 100-by-100 mile area of solar collectors in the southwest or by harnessing the wind that blows through the plain states, not to mention the immense potential for wind energy off our coasts. The 618 MW of wind power in the San Gorgonio Pass just north of Palm Springs is enough to power approximately 185,000 homes. Even our rainiest states get more sun than Germany. And we have only begun to tap the potential energy from our country's supply of waves, tides, biomass and the geothermal power beneath our feet. Coupled with America's legacy as a manufacturing leader and technological innovator, expanding our renewable energy economy provides an immense opportunity for economic development and the creation of hundreds of thousands of new good quality jobs. In fact, studies have shown that, watt for watt, renewable energy development creates twice as many jobs as fossil fuels. One of the most effective and popular drivers of renewable energy development in the United States has been the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). Also known as a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), these policies require that utilities in more than 20 states generate a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable sources. California led the way by passing the first RPS in the country in 2002 and since then has strengthened our standard so that it is the strongest nationwide. By creating a guaranteed market for renewable energy, these policies, coupled with the Million Solar Roofs bill, SB 1, have helped to jump start new statewide energy economies. Thanks to the Million Solar Roofs bill adopted by the state last August, California has set a goal of building 3,000 MW of solar power on a million roofs by 2016. Meeting this goal would mean 6 percent of California's summertime peak load would be met with clean, reliable solar power helping give grid operators a healthy margin between energy supply and demand. One indicator of the strength of RES policies in driving renewable energy development is the fact that 90 percent of wind energy in the U.S. currently comes from states with RES policies. In order to fully tap our renewable energy potential and take advantage of this opportunity to provide secure jobs to thousands of America families, we need a national renewable energy policy. Representatives Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Todd Platts, R-Pa., have introduced a national renewable electricity standard of 20 percent renewable energy by 2020 in the House of Representatives, H.R. 969. By adopting this policy, Congress can help build a cleaner and more secure economy for America while reducing global warming pollution and making the U.S. once again the world's clean energy leader. Representative Mary Bono should cosponsor this important legislation. Gordon Bloom is the executive vice president for GenSelf, whose
mission is to promote the installation of solar power throughout California.
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