|
Maximizing the Use of Our Energy Resources
The world is running out of oil. It is a fact. The Chief Executive Officer of Exxon-Mobil predicts that less than half of the oil needed to meet world demand by the year 2010 can be supplied by existing oil fields. If he’s right, we can safely conclude that the peak for oil supply is quite imminent, and that other sources of energy will have to very quickly take up the slack. When that time of "scarceness" arrives, competition for the remaining oil will likely become cutthroat, possibly triggering monumental changes in the economies, societies, and relationships between the nations of the world.
The competition for oil is already ramping up. The United States may indeed be presently involved in an oil war in Iraq, although no Administration official will readily admit it. The U.S. has long advocated a foreign policy which views access to oil as a vital national interest, to be protected, if necessary, by military intervention. International policies and oil have become inextricably linked. Continuing on our present course may lead us straight into an era of resource wars. The central questions of the next decade ought to be what can we do to avoid the "oil wars" that some believe have already begun; and how can we wean ourselves from our overdependence on foreign oil.
In reality, backfilling the coming oil shortfall will take a variety of energy sources. Renewable resources like hydro, solar and wind power, and biomass, along with finite resources like natural gas, all must be part of a comprehensive national effort to shake off the oil addiction. And, a major player in any such effort must be coal and coal-based technologies. It surprises some people to learn that coal has been used to make diesel and jet fuels for 80 years. Moreover, synfuels made from coal burn cleaner and perform better than petroleum. We can produce synthetic fuels in West Virginia, using our own abundant supply of coal, natural gas, and other resources. All we need is the money, the right policies, and the commitment to do it.
The technologies exist and more could exist very soon if only the United States government would first: wake up and understand that it is cheaper to invest in technology than it is to fight wars. And second: be willing to say to the oil barons who so influence this country that they must become a part of our energy solution by helping, not fighting the transition to other energy sources.
I congratulate Governor Manchin for stepping into the energy policy debate. He and others are making an effort to wake the American public to our looming energy crisis. But they are not just ringing alarm bells. They have a blueprint which can be part of a solution. They want to develop domestic energy sources and produce jobs and economic security, as well as ensure a dependable, affordable, clean American-based energy supply. By encouraging the cleaner, more efficient use of coal in power plants and other facilities, we help to ensure jobs in West Virginia’s coal communities for many years to come. Our brain power, coal reserves, and excellent workforce can lead the way to America’s energy independence. It is time to devote new innovation and ingenuity to energy policy and blaze new trails.
 To get the job done, we must make investments in coal, biomass, and other domestic, power-producing resources. We can provide the world with a new fleet of energy sources and technologies. But if we do not make that commitment, instead of disentangling ourselves from foreign oil dependency, we will be sinking our military and energy fortunes deeper and deeper into the sands of the Middle East.
I see a future where our foreign policy decisions are not driven by oil and our troops are not garrisoned around the globe to protect oil pipelines. The United States will be better able to play the role of honest broker in the world’s trouble spots because our motives are not in question. New coal-based technologies can power trucks and cars, and provide all kinds of energy benefits for the consumer and our country. We will have a stronger military because it can depend on a domestic energy supply.
Just as President John F. Kennedy did when he sent this nation on a mission to put a man on the moon, this government can begin an intense national clean coal technology research and development program similar to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Program of the 1960s. Like the research done for the space programs, such energy research will produce spin-offs that create jobs, improve life, secure our energy future, and bolster our national security. Not even with our best crystal ball can we fully know what fantastic gains can be made.
|
|
