Energy

I believe we need a Manhattan-style project for energy technology.  During WWII we had a crisis, and our response was to use our best scientists and researchers to harness the energy of the atom.  We are currently in another crisis.  We need to follow this same model to create viable, renewable energy solutions.  With government capital mitigating the financial risk combined with the genius of American innovation from the private sector providing direction, there is no reason we should not be able solve our energy crisis.

Right now ethanol gets a bad rap because it uses food sources for fuel and drives up the cost of grain and corn.  We should be taking a serious look at cellulosic ethanol – fuel that could be made from rice hulls, corn or sugar cane stalks, or even the kudzu vines that blanket the South every summer.  These are all waste or non-food products that could be turned into fuel if we will invest the time and money into making the conversion process cost-effective.

Israel is working on a program in conjunction with Better Place, which is essentially a plan to cut their dependency on foreign oil from non-friendly governments.  Instead of a gas station, drivers will go to the solar charging station where they'd drop off their current low-battery for charging, and an attendant would slide the fully-charged one in, much like exchanging a Xerox cartridge.  These batteries only hold 120 miles worth of charge, which is fine for a country the size of Israel, but not practical for our area.  However, with public-private partnerships, we can find a way to increase the miles per battery and make this type of electric car viable right here at home.me.

We must require building codes to incorporate green technology standards.  Germany has adopted a solar program that allows consumers to generate their own electricity and then sell excess power back to the utility companies.  Germany now derives 14.2 % of its electricity from renewable sources. This plan has resulted in a solar revolution in that country.

In this Congressional District we have so many locations and opportunities that are tailor-made for energy research – solar, wind, and wave.  With ingenuity, funding, and a commitment to insuring a cleaner, greener future, we can cut or even break our addiction to oil and still meet our energy needs.