Since the 1970’s oil embargo, Americans – and their representatives in Congress – have been talking about the need for a new energy policy. Now it’s time to stop talking and start acting.
We need an energy policy that makes Americans more secure by cutting our dependence on imported energy sources, creates well paying jobs here in the United States and protects the environment by using more clean and renewable sources of energy.
Congress has a perfect opportunity to enact a sensible energy policy right now.
The centerpiece of such a bill has to be a strong renewable electricity standard (RES), which has already passed the House and was included in a bi-partisan bill already passed by the key Senate energy committee. Such a bill will be ready for action in the Senate this month.
A Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), would set binding targets for using more clean, renewable energy to diversify our energy mix, reduce pollution, conserve water and save consumers money. It also will create hundreds of thousands of American jobs.
We’ve seen the benefits of a state level RES right here in Colorado. The passage of Amendment 37 in 2004 has led to more than 20,000 green energy jobs and numerous companies locating to Colorado, including ours. In fact, twenty-nine states already have enacted renewable electricity requirements. They have done so because they found what we have here in Colorado – policies that support renewable energy leads to manufacturing and construction jobs, boosts the rural tax base and can lower electricity costs.
A national RES would spread those benefits nationwide.
A recent study projected that a national RES will create an additional 274,000 jobs in the U.S., including construction, operations, and engineering jobs-and more than 50 percent of those jobs will be in manufacturing. Other studies have confirmed that increased use of wind and other renewables can drive down electricity costs. And there is no doubt that replacing some older power sources with wind and other renewables will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For too long, America has ignored energy policy, in part swayed by the arguments of fossil fuel proponents who said we had no other choice but to rely on oil, gas, and coal. Of course, we cannot stop using those fuels. But the Gulf oil spill was a teachable moment, and the lesson is: we have to diversify our energy sources – for the sake of our economy, our environment, our national security.
If we don’t act now, we will fall behind other countries in clean renewable energy investment. The U.S. is in a footrace with countries around the world, like China, for new manufacturing jobs and we must act soon or lose the race, and good manufacturing jobs. Passing a RES is the easiest, and cheapest way to create a stable market to attract billions of dollars in new manufacturing investment to the U.S.
The Senate may debate an energy bill in the coming weeks, and I strongly urge their support to secure passage of a bill that creates Colorado jobs and increases our national security by including a strong RES in the bill.
Steve Dayney is the CEO of REpower USA, the U.S. subsidiary of global wind turbine manufacturer REpower Systems AG. REpower USA’s headquarter office is located in Denver. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
