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February 2008 Along Those Lines
Energy security
Indiana U.S. Sen. Richard G. Lugar address energy concerns at the first Indiana Renewable Energy Forum.
Photo by Rick Moore, Hoosier Energy REC
Sen. Lugar urges adoption of energy security strategy at Renewable Energy Forum
Energy security and associated economic and environmental issues should be the most important topics of the 2008 presidential election, according to veteran senator Richard Lugar who spoke Jan. 4 at the inaugural Indiana Renewable Energy Forum.
Lugar’s timely remarks came during a week when oil surpassed the $100 per barrel mark for the first time, and the Iowa caucuses kicked off the presidential primary season.
The inaugural forum was sponsored by the Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis.
A strong proponent of energy research and development, renewable energy, biofuels and environmental protection, Lugar stressed that coal and nuclear power must remain important components of the energy mix as the nation pursues new technologies.
“The next president must begin a national dialogue on nuclear power that grapples with public concerns over safety and waste disposal, and reaches decisions about whether the federal government will encourage the construction of new facilities,” Lugar said. “Similarly, the president must initiate a plan on how we will use America’s vast coal resources. The U.S. must accelerate work on technologies to capture and store carbon that could be employed both in this country and abroad.”
Lugar supports clean coal projects including Duke Energy’s proposed generating station in Knox County and the FutureGen Alliance project announced recently in central Illinois.
“For some, nuclear power, coal and increased oil exploration are simply off the table. Yet coal is the single largest source of electric power in this country, and we have abundant reserves,” Lugar said. “Instead of aggressively pursuing technologies to capture and store or use greenhouse gases, some green idealists would have us stop using coal completely.”
In outlining his case for a strong energy defense policy, Lugar described many challenges. He noted it is unlikely those can be addressed within the prevailing political mindset. The president must speak plainly to the American people and special interest groups.
According to Lugar, U.S. energy security is compromised by many factors including dependence on oil supplies from unfriendly nations, environmental concerns, and rising worldwide energy demand and costs.
“The next president must elevate energy security to the status of a core national goal and must directly engage the American people in the solution,” Lugar said. “The president must be thoughtful, attentive and relentless — willing to stake the reputation of the administration on politically difficult breakthroughs that meaningfully contribute to U.S. energy security.”
Lugar said the U.S. has the financial resources, scientific prowess, productive land and industrial infrastructure to address the nation’s energy vulnerability.
“The question is whether we will heed abundant warning signs and apply the political will to deal with this problem in the present rather than suffering grave consequences in the future,” he said.
Lugar Center for Renewable Energy
The center was established to address the need for clean, affordable and renewable energy sources. Its primary mission is to promote research, education, technology transfer, sound public policy, and international collaboration in the area of renewable energy.
The center brings together university faculty members from engineering and technology, medicine, public and environmental affairs, and science. Research activities include:
• Hydrogen generation and storage.
• Fuel cell and battery technologies.
• Clean combustion.
• Solar energy.
• Bio-fuel production and applications.
• Hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles.
• Renewable energy policy, economics, law and society impact.
Written By: eceditor
Date Posted: 1/29/2008
Number of Views: 236
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