BYRD’S EYE VIEW: Finding a Solution to Our Energy Crisis
From the desk of U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)
Washington, DC (HNN) -- Fact: The world is running out of oil. The Chief Executive Officer of Exxon-Mobil predicts that less than half of the oil needed to meet world demand by 2010 can be supplied by existing oil fields. When that time of "scarceness" arrives, competition for remaining oil will likely become cutthroat, possibly triggering monumental changes in the economies, societies, and relationships between the nations of the world.
In reality, backfilling an oil shortfall will take a variety of energy sources. Renewable resources like hydro, solar and wind power, and biomass, along with finite resources like natural gas, all must be part of a comprehensive national effort to shake off the oil addiction. And a major player in any such effort must be coal and coal-based technologies. Coal has been used to make diesel and jet fuels for 80 years. Moreover, synfuels made from coal burn cleaner and perform better than petroleum. We can produce synthetic fuels in West Virginia, using our own abundant supply of coal, natural gas, and other resources. All we need is the money, the right policies, and the commitment to do it.
I congratulate Governor Manchin for stepping into the energy policy debate. He and others are making an effort to wake the American public to our looming energy crisis. But they are not just ringing alarm bells. They also have a blueprint which can be part of a solution. They want to develop domestic energy sources and produce jobs and economic security, as well as ensure a dependable, affordable, clean American-based energy supply.
By encouraging the cleaner, more efficient use of coal in power plants and other facilities, we help to ensure jobs in West Virginia for many years to come. Our brain power, coal reserves, and excellent workforce can lead the way to America’s energy independence. It is time to devote new innovation and ingenuity to energy policy and blaze new trails.
Just as President Kennedy did when he sent this nation on a mission to put a man on the moon, this government can begin an intense clean coal research and development program similar to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Program of the 1960s. Like the research done for the space program, such energy research will produce spin-offs that create jobs, improve life, secure our energy future, and bolster our national security. Not even with our best crystal ball can we fully know what fantastic gains can be made, and we should not delay in starting.