WHERE I STAND (GUEST COLUMN BY HARRY REID):

Renewable energy will shape future of state, world

Harry Reid

Sunday, Aug. 3, 2008 | 2:01 a.m.

In August, Brian Greenspun turns over the Where I Stand column to guest writers. Today’s columnist is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

It can bring down $4-a-gallon gas, save pristine Nevada landscapes and ensure our safety for generations to come, but it’s even bigger than all of that.

The future of Nevada and of our planet depends on realizing the full potential of clean, renewable energy. Nevada’s position as a world leader in the coming global clean energy revolution awaits only our action and commitment. We cannot afford to pass by this door of opportunity without bursting through it.

Nevada is an independent state born of opportunity and of the great resources we held both during the Civil War and today. The treasure we have offered to the country in silver, gold and minerals, we can now offer in heat and power from our vast solar, wind and geothermal potential.

These native resources can deliver a future free of dependence on dirty, imported oil and coal. With the right investments in renewable technology, our rural and urban economies will boom permanently with good jobs and economic growth. Our moment, as Nevadans and as caretakers of our families and our planet for generations to come, is now.

With pride and hope, I am partnering with the Center for American Progress Action Fund and UNLV to host the National Clean Energy Summit on Aug. 19. This gathering is the jumping-off point for a new renewable Nevada that will propel forward a new America of prosperity and stewardship.

America’s energy challenges are grave and will require all of us to work together to find solutions. So partisan labels will be left at the door of the summit and we will hear from many distinguished speakers, including former President Clinton, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, Gov. Bill Ritter of Colorado, and Texas entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens. We’ll also welcome senators, chief executives, scientists, labor unions and experts from across the spectrum to talk about creating a clean energy revolution. This event will bring together the best and the brightest for dialogue that will result in guidance for our next president, as well as the next Congress.

You don’t need to look any further than the corner gas station or your own power bill to understand the energy crisis we are dealing with in America, and the issues go well beyond the price of oil. We’re trying to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuel use that harms our environment, our economy and our national security.

My strong belief in a renewable future is shared by even those who once swore by oil. Mr. Pickens built a fortune in oil, but today he sees renewable energy as a driving force for our economy, and a profitable one, too. He has committed to building the world’s largest wind farm in Texas, and he recently testified before Congress on his plans.

In fact, we sat side by side and testified on the need to build more transmission from our nation’s renewable energy-rich areas. In his testimony, Mr. Pickens said we cannot drill our way out of this crisis and predicted $300-a-barrel oil if we don’t find a way to wean ourselves from the addiction holding our economy and our national security hostage.

Right here in Nevada, the solar projects awaiting Bureau of Land Management approval could power millions of American homes in the not too distant future. The total solar thermal energy potential in the desert Southwest is seven times the nation’s entire electricity demand — enough to consistently charge millions of plug-in hybrid cars and trucks. We also sit atop one of the largest supplies of geothermal energy in the world.

This is an ambitious vision, but I believe by working together, we can accomplish these goals. Companies and venture capitalists are lining up to invest in renewable energy, but local, state and federal governments must do much more to ease the transition. Congress has been trying to pass long-term tax credits for renewable energy, but political opposition could delay billions of dollars in investment and shut out many economic opportunities and new green jobs important to Nevada.

All these hopes and challenges will shape our discussion at the summit on Aug. 19. I encourage you to join us at UNLV that day because many will look back at this summit as the dawn of Nevada’s and the nation’s clean energy revolution, and each of us can have a hand in shaping it.

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By meek33

8/3/08 at 8:50 a.m.

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I read an article that said obama was thinking about embracing the boone pickens plan. I think it was at http://www.tboonpickens.com
By jfnance32

8/3/08 at 9:57 a.m.

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Boone Pickens is a natural gas billionaire.

His plan is all about natural gas. Even his wind power point deals with natural gas. He rarely mentions solar in his plan.

Also, he is big big on new offshore drilling to get to the natural gas reserves...(I like that).

I think natural gas can be part of the solution, but it cannot be the solution.

The big problem with wind and solar is that they are not 24/7 generators of power. We do not have the technology that can cost effectively store energy. I support R & D in that area.

Until we get that technology. Solar and wind can only be supplement power up to 20% to 30% of the power capacity. I am OK with doing that. We have to have coal, nuclear and natural gas plants capacity to make the solar and wind output. We need to because when the sun is not shining or the wind not blowing then we need redundant power to get in and pick up the slack.
We also need to wise and practical. We need to build more nuclear and invest R & D in recycle nuclear fuel. We need to use our vast reserves of coal and build newer cleaner coal plants. We need to invest R & D on improving cleaner coal plants.

Lastly, to due with oil based car and airplane transportation we need to unlock the trillions of oil and gas that we high. It is silly to send trillions of cash overseas when we have the assets at home. We need to invest R & D to build a cost effective electric car. Presently, there is no cost effective electrical car system.
By theBike45

8/3/08 at 11:37 a.m.

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I just love it when a politician like Reid claims to be on top of an issue (like energy) and then makes a really dumb statement, as he does by claiming that Nevada's solar energy resources will eliminate our oil dependency. Someone please tell Reid the Fool that our vehicles run on petroleum fuels, not electricity, at least not anytime soon. He can build all the solar electric plants he wants, and it will have zero effect on the need for oil or gas prices. Just exactly how dumb is Sen Reid?
As for wind - it totally sucks - it cannot meet peak demand and thus has to be dupplicated with power generation that can, essentially having a side effect that doubles it real costs. Reid has no ability to discriminate between alternative power technologies that are pure crap and uselss (like wind, solar PV) and those that are very promising , like solar thermal. But even solar thermal cannot provide all the pwoer - 30 days a year the Southwestern deserts are cloudy and that mean zero electricity. We need to start thinking in terms of the best new technology out there, or almost out there - gas Pebble bed Modular nuclear reactors, about to be commercialized next year by Westinghouse and Mitsubishi - they are completely safe, very efficient and cheap. And they don't
require water resources - the use compressed helium for cooling and helium cannot be made radioactive, so no problem if a leak develops (unlikely). They are small, require little space, and can be located close to the center of demand in cities.
By SkipM

8/3/08 at 2:12 p.m.

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Senator Reid in his passionate plea for non partisan cooperation to achieve energy independence is at best shallow. The Democratic Party has been taken over by the left and has embraced the environmental movement as a "religion", or a movement to push or frighten people into the Democratic party.
The Center for American Progress Action smacks of a left of center organization with the goal of pushing this country from a Capitalist to Socialist country.
Mr Reid is not genuine in his statement of Mr. T. Boone Pickens. Mr. Pickens also said he is for all forms of energy including drilling for oil. I personally am for solar energy and other forms of alternative energy, but we cannot just "jump" into the changing our societies energy use without planning and forethought.
By neiman1

8/4/08 at 1:03 p.m.

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Obama sold you out while you were on your jet home on Friday. Obama read the polls and says now oil and nuclear is OK. When will you get it Harry, your OUT OF TOUCH. Nevada voters need to write and call harry and tell him to get out of the way. Use American resources to fuel America. Keep the 700 billion a year we spend on foreign oil in America creating American jobs. Contact Pelosi's stooge Harry Reid today

Phone: 202-224-3542 Fax: 202-224-7327 Toll Free for Nevadans: 1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343)
email link
http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm...
By Future2012

8/4/08 at 2:23 p.m.

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Reid says above that "America’s energy challenges are grave and will require all of us to work together to find solutions. So partisan labels will be left at the door of the summit".

Reid and Pelosi have no intention to work together with the rest of Americans.

I am "sick" of sending my gas money to the Middle East. I want to keep it here to raise the value of the dollar and cut off the money to terrorist.
By odeman

8/4/08 at 3:51 p.m.

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T. Boone Pickens is only looking out for T. Boone Pickens. Check his history as a corporate raider and how many companies he destroyed in the process of making his billions. In the last few years he has been buying up all the water rights he can get in northern Texas so he can crank the rates. You might be better off finding a better poster boy.
Best of luck on the renewable energy gig. Where you gonna get the money, let alone getting all those big ego's to decide on where to spend it. The enviro nazis alone will hold up most of these projects for years so as to be sure no snail or owl be disadvantaged. Until this country and it's citizens get their financial house in order, a large scale effort for renewables will bankrupt us before we can reap the benefits.
By KDR81

8/5/08 at 8:24 a.m.

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Pickens plan is to pick your pocket.
By cpaer

8/23/08 at 10:55 a.m.

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If Sen. Reid is truly interested in energy development in Nevada why doesn't he provide some leadership to overcome the obstacles thrown up by the BLM in Nye County that is blocking solar energy development?
If Sen. Reid is truly interested in energy development in Nevada why does he support designating several hundred thousands acres of public land in Lyon, Mineral, and Esmeralda County as Wilderness when this land contains the minerals he refers to, geothermal potential, and can be used for solar power development? Once this land is designated Wilderness these activities cannot be developed.
The senator should be careful as to the abundance of land he wishes to see set aside for Wilderness in Northwest Nevada as it might interfer with some future pipeline route to move water to So. Nevada and in turn upset his wilderness buddies in the process, not to mention the disapointment his brother will face when the water doesn't flow to the the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

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