THE NEW ENERGIES & NATURAL GAS

Wind, Solar, Natural Gas Experts Say They Need to Cooperate to Provide Clean Energy; Advocates for solar and wind power say they need to cooperate with natural gas producers over the next few years to reduce carbon emissions.
Sarah Lutz, January 16, 2010 (Kansas City InfoZine)

"Americans can expect more years of fossil fuel dependence before they can rely on renewable energy resources, industry representatives said…Natural gas is the clear choice to partner with the wind and solar industries as the two continue to grow. That's because it is produced domestically and has a much lower carbon output compared to coal or other fossil fuels, said American Wind Energy Association President Denise Bode.

"Bode was one of about 100 people representing a variety of energy producers attending the 6th Annual State of the Energy Industry meeting…She said her association has begun to work with the natural gas industry "as a team" to move toward cleaner energy…Bode said wind is not viable without subsidies or rules requiring that a certain amount of energy must come from renewable sources. Wind still makes sense because costs are stable, compared to those for fossil fuels. She said natural gas is a necessity now because it will take time for a regulatory structure for the renewable industry to be put into place."

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"Renewable energy industries need new and upgraded transmission lines and face challenges getting power to individual customers, said Solar Energy Industries Association President Rhone Resch…[It also needs] uniform national net metering and interconnection standards…

"Resch said solar is competitive in only three states - Hawaii, parts of California and in New York during peak power generation - even if they weren't getting subsidies. But to create jobs and scale up the industry, it needs more subsidies…[But even though] money from the stimulus package did not kick in until September…the industry did grow by 40 percent last year…In the next six years, manufacturing will grow and prices will come down, representing scale of manufacturing and competition…[Resch] predicted a 10 percent to 15 percent price decline this year."

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"Too much help for renewable resources or coal would hurt the natural gas industry, said Natural Gas Supply Association President Skip Horvath…[With] coal subsidies...[or a badly written] renewable portfolio standard…the group that loses out in the middle is natural gas…Representatives from the natural gas, coal, wind and solar industries agreed that to achieve the 83 percent decrease in carbon emissions by 2050 outlined in last year's stimulus package, national regulations, which could include a carbon tax, are necessary.

"A compromise would need to include offshore drilling and nuclear power for Republicans as well as cost containment measures to make it acceptable to moderate Democrats…[C]ompanies need one set of regulations, not separate federal and state rules [but]…Energy legislation may not pass this year due to the government's focus on health care, the weak economy, the elections and the country's wide political divide…"