Editorial: Nation Needs a Standard for Renewable Energy

Good work. The Denver Post editorial board comes out in favor of a national renewable energy standard. If you don't agree with government subsidies to help a nascent renewable energy (RE) industry then the only other options are a national RE standard (minimum amount of the states energy has to come from renewable sources) or a carbon/gasoline tax. Doing nothing and keeping the status quo is not an option any longer.

There are some complexities to having all states meet the same RE standard (such as 15% by 2021), because southern states such as Louisiana and Mississippi don't receive as much sun for instance as the southwestern states do. However, there other renewable sources of energy such as biomass or algae that would thrive in those southern states. I hope that Congress is taking these differences into consideration. Whatever the outcome, we do need a RE standard to level the playing field in the energy industry and to provide stability for further capital investment in renewables.