Obama Says Oil Spill Highlights Need for Renewable Energy

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

- Albert Einstein

What has been going on in the Gulf of Mexico for the last month or so is sickening to me. Sickening in the environmental sense of course. But I am more sickened by our rabid addiction to oil. We of course use the most of our petroleum products in the gas tanks of our cars and trucks to get ourselves to the grocery store, or the shopping mall, or kid's soccer practice, as well as to transport our produce, furniture, building materials, and general crap. There's also the facts that plastics are petroleum based. Think about how much plastic you have in your home right now! Gobs and gobs. I could go on but I think you get the idea. We are addicted to oil and our economy depends on it. And if the oil gushing out of the gash at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico isn't a siren, we are in for a long, hard slog. Our consumption of the black gold is unsustainable.

So President Obama had the courage to call for more renewable energy - in the midst of a horrible and deep recession, at least 10% unemployment, fighting two wars, a growing national debt, social security running dry, 401Ks decimated for those close to retirement, and what I think will be the greatest man-made environmental disaster the world has ever experienced. I can hear the naysayers, "We can't afford to invest in renewable energy, when there are so other many problems to tackle," or they might say, "We have to let the free market dictate the future of renewable energy." You know who they are.

There are many paths to more renewable energy, the free market included, but I don't think we have the luxury of time to let large corporations and the "free market" decide our fate. BP, a large global corporation, has already begun to destroy the water and coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico trying to feed our addiction to oil and to feed their burgeoning wallets. The big U.S. bank corporations (you know "too big to fail") have already destroyed the global economy and refuse to stop practicing the speculation that got us into this trouble. That's not a really good track record for entities that can have an enormous and tragic affect on our lives. I suppose we will continue to see these economic and environmental disasters as long as there is this insatiable, unsustainable drive for more profits. In the name of profit and the quarterly Wall Street kabuki dance, corners will always be cut, jobs will lost, lives will be lost, and greed will win the day. Is this really who we want to be?

I don't know about you but I want solar photovoltaic modules on my house generating clean electricity from the sun rather than getting my electricity from a coal-fired power plant miles away. But I need help, because I can't afford to do these things right now with the unstable economy and I need help because we don't have the luxury of time (just Google "pine beetle kill" for just one example of the affect of a changing climate on Colorado forests) to let the market decide when the price of solar PV is going to be cheaper than coal.

So, if Einstein is correct, we are going to have to develop new ways of thinking to solve our problem of addiction to oil and any other unsustainable activity we humans like to practice. Do we have the courage to think differently?

How Will Gulf Spill Affect Energy Debate? A Chat With Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter

In the midst of what will probably turn out to be the worst environmental disaster the United States has ever experienced, we haven't yet had the time to reflect on the impact this oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico will have on our energy and environmental policies. It is safe to say that there will be some impact on the policy debate in Washington. Hopefully the result of that impact will be a policy that includes a way forward to energy independence while radically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

The U.S. is addicted to cheap coal and cheap oil to the detriment of our health and our environment. This damage from fossil fuels is playing itself out slowly over time. On the other hand, the oil leak at the bottom of the Gulf is a rapid and expedited look at the profound damage fossil fuels can do to our environment. I hope that the black sludge that is currently suffocating and killing the marine life in the Gulf of Mexico and that is single-handedly destroying the livelihood of many American fisherman will remain in our memories for a long time. I also hope that it will cause us to pause and reflect every time we fill up our tanks with cheap gasoline. We need to seriously address our energy policy soon.

Oh and here's a quick interview with the Colorado governor on how the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico might influence the energy policy debate.

Obama Team, Exxon Mobil Chief Trade Jabs on Energy

Pardon me for rolling my eyes, but I guess I'm a little underwhelmed by responses like the one that the CEO of Exxon-Mobil gave to reporters today. This was in response to President-elect Barack Obama's economic speech today. I'm not sure what the CEO's angle is, but he is using tired arguments in a time when we need fresh ideas and unique solutions. Or perhaps his "angle" is to try and impede his increasing irrelevancy. Whatever.

McCain's Tilting at Wind Turbines

Sorry for the heavy dose of politics, but 'tis the season. Looks like McCain talks out of both sides of his mouth. Missing votes on key energy legislation, eight times? I wonder if all that lobbyist money is clouding his brain. So sad.

Udall, Schaffer Stake out Moderate Ground on Energy

I'm not sure what Representative Mark Udall is afraid of by playing this moderate game on energy. I'm becoming increasingly disgruntled with politicians who adopt moderate positions thinking that's the road to an elected seat in the Federal government. I know, I know, I shouldn't be so naive. But I am guessing that Udall is being disingenuous here. He knows full well that more drilling will not help reduce gas prices or reduce our consumption of Middle Eastern oil. The drilling myth has already been debunked and by anyone saying that we need more domestic drilling will only look like a fool later when we still will be sucking on Middle Eastern oil while paying 5,6,7,8 bucks a gallon. And don't even get me started on the environmental damage of the world's increased consumption.

We are addicted to a finite fossil fuel that pollutes our air, water, and land. Instead of trying to placate the "moderates" in Colorado, Udall should be putting all of his energy into making Colorado the renewable energy hub of the world, which will create jobs and generate revenue for this state. Even Senator Salazar is working towards it. Come on Mr. Udall find your soul and find your spine. Stop addressing the oil addicts and start addressing a cleantech future with renewable energy for Colorado.

Beware the Wind Energy Hot Air

Interesting editorial that points a critical eye towards T. Boone Pickens plan for accelerated wind power and natural gas to ween us off Mideast oil. I have to say that the author makes an interesting case against Mr. Pickens plan. I also must say that it's a little hard to trust a man who made billions off of that same oil he now wants us to say adios to. There is no altruism within a staunch capitalist. Personally I'm not a fan of the natural gas route because of what it does to the air and the ground when you pump it out. Plus it's not renewable and as Einstein once said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

Anyway, check the editorial out for yourself and let me know what you think.

Did Oil Execs Luck into Record Pay?

Read this article and then tell me with a straight face that, "Congress should keep giving oil companies billions of dollars of tax payer subsidies because they are a new market trying to get off the ground." When will the madness of excessive profit at the expense of our pocketbooks end? I'm not advocating socialism here, just a little bit of a balance.

Oil Shale May Figure into GOP's Energy Plan

How long until Senator Wayne Allard's term is over? I have to say that Republicans just want to drill more holes in the land and squeeze more oil out of shale in a feeble attempt to extricate ourselves from the onslaught of high oil prices. Read this article and it will give you an idea of how out of touch the GOP is with regards to generating sound energy policy and instead want to keep providing benefits to big oil companies. Plus Senator Ken Salazar gives Allard a little smack down.

Renewable OPEC: Careful What You Wish For

Not that I'm concerned that Europe is on the right track with respect to producing a majority (if not all) of their energy needs in the future with renewable energy (RE), but this opinion piece from the Wall Street Journal brings up an interesting conundrum. I've heard before (and even blogged about it) that African deserts can provide more than enough solar energy to provide Europe with their electricity needs. When I first heard this, my altruistic (albeit naive) nature immediately leaped to the conclusion that any nation that had better means to produce various forms of RE would provide that energy to other nations at a lower cost, rather than allowing market forces to take over and adjust the price. Silly, silly me. I forgot to put into the equation the world's warm and fuzzy embrace of capitalism.

So, the conundrum is that Europe can only produce so much of their energy consumption with RE. If Europe wants to stay true to their carbon reduction commitments, then they will have to purchase the rest of their energy needs from "renewable energy" producing nations such as Algeria (mentioned in the op-ed); nations that have the best means to produce solar generated power. It also brings to mind that the transmission of this "desert solar power" will have to tie into Europe's electricity grid. That means that Europe would hypothetically be at the mercy of a cartel of RE producing nations (like the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, i.e. OPEC, is with petroleum consuming nations today). In other words, these RE producing nations, like OPEC today, could hold Europe's collective energy fate in their hands (in the form of price fluctuations and even transmission "issues"). I'm not suggesting that future renewable energy producing nations would hold Europe hostage, but I am saying that the ability for all nations to be completely self-sufficient with respect to their energy production and consumption would be difficult if production is concentrated in the hands of a few nations, like what happens under OPEC. As an example today, if OPEC sneezes then the world's oil markets shiver. If anything the idea of a "Renewable OPEC," in light of what happens with the petroleum OPEC, certainly brings up some interesting, eerily familiar geopolitical ramifications for the future of RE production and consumption.

Big Oil Now Seeing Green

Interesting article from the Denver Post that speaks to what the oil companies are doing to further renewable energy research. I wonder if these companies are truly interested in finding alternative methods of energy. We'll see.

Billionaire Oilman Backs Wind Power

Wow. Just wow. An oil billionaire, T Boone Pickens, is buying 600 windmills from GE and is then going to essentially pay people to have them on their land. I think the money quote, which also falls in the category of sudden outbreak of common sense, is this:

"But we are going to have to do something different in America. You can't keep paying out $600 billion a year for oil."

You go T Boone!

Oil Firms No Longer Need Tax Breaks, but Renewable Energy Does

An editorial from the Orlando Sentinel states the obvious: renewable energy, a budding industry, now needs tax breaks to jump start it. The oil industry, an established industry and which brings home gigantic profits for their shareholders, do not need tax breaks any longer. Therefore, take some of the tax breaks away from the oil industry to help the renewable energy industry get off the ground. It really is that simple. I'll let some of the editorial highlight some of the nitty gritty:

"But with oil company profits and the price of crude at all-time highs, a strong case also can be made to rescind tax breaks for the industry to finance the extension on breaks for renewable energy. That's what the House did in February, voting to take back $18 billion in tax breaks over a decade, or $1.8 billion a year, from the five largest publicly traded oil companies. The annual figure is less than 2 percent of the $123 billion in profits that those companies banked last year."

Wow.

Bush: US Must 'Get Off Oil'

Oh the irony. No comment from this blogger, except for a big roll of the eyeballs and actions speak louder than words. Here's the article.

NY Times: The Senate Shills for Big Oil

Via The New York Times we have an editorial that calls a spade a spade. Republicans in the Senate are whining about the House-approved, gradual elimination of tax credits for big oil to help pay for renewable energy tax credits. With oil profits beyond comprehension and oil over a $100 a barrel we've got to take some of that bounty away from the oil companies. Just a wee bit. Right?

Gigantic Oil Co. Opening Learning Center for Renewable Energy R&D

So it was finally announced that someone bought the 432-acre plot o' land in Louisville, CO. At the beginning of 2008 speculation was running rampant around these parts about who was going to buy that land from Sun Microsystems. Was it Google? Ebay? Everybody was wrong. 9News reports that ConocoPhillips bought it and wants to build a corporate learning center for research and development of renewable energy and carbon fuels recovery. Hopefully this will assist Colorado in becoming the renewable energy thought leader in the U.S.