Energy Biz - September/October 2008 - (Page 6) » our take energy Secretary John rowe have both said repeatedly that they we have met with the top executives of some of the want to run on the issues and avoid divisive, partisan backbiting. We have a largest investor-owned power companies, rural electric modest proposal. Let them immediately cooperatives and municipal utilities, as well as state regulators from California to North Carolina. Highlights of and jointly name John Rowe, who is the chairman, president and chief executive our discussions are featured in the pages that follow. Everyone believes that how we power our lives is — or of Exelon, as U.S. secretary of energydesignate and charge him with develshould be — the top priority facing America. Most agree oping a commission on national energy that we have lost our way. Jesse Tilton, the chief execupolicy. Rowe and that commission tive of Electric Cities of North Carolina, told us, “Our should begin their work in advance of biggest challenge is that we lack a long-term federal John Rowe the election and come up with a series energy policy that is based on science and economics PhOTO By ashLEy huTchEsOn of policy recommendations for the next and produces an acceptable environmental result.” president — be it McCain or Obama — That is a pretty broad indictment. Congress and state legislatures by next summer. Some statistics are in order. The United States Why Rowe? is the Saudi Arabia of coal, blessed with abundant Frankly, we were awed by his comments when we supplies of the stuff. Yet the U.S. Energy Information met with him and his industry peers in Toronto at the Administration forecasts that we will build just 920 Edison Electric Institute annual meeting. (See “View megawatts of coal generation this year. That is less from the Bridge,” page 46.) than the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency is “If the next president sets a course that deals with planning to generate in space and beam back to Earth climate and energy supply issues in a decisive way, most via microwave in a few decades. (See “Harvesting of the country can have 15 to 20 cents per kilowatt-hour Solar Power in Space,” p. 96.) electricity and continue to have a high degree of reliabilNew coal generation in the United States is eclipsed by the 5,329 megawatts of wind generation constructed ity,” Rowe said. “If the next administration tries to make all these decisions in the most politically in the United States in correct fashion, then I think we’re 2007 — estimated to be yOu arE inViTED TO rEaD My BLOg EVEry FriDay aT looking at 30 to 40 cents electricity about one-third of all www.energyblogs.com/rosenberg and very radical structural changes.” new generation. The He continues: “Neither party has federal government got its act together on how to combine environmental recently reported that we could aim to policy and energy policy.” have one-fifth of our electricity generated Then, wittingly or unwittingly, Rowe revealed why he by wind. So why are wind projects sailing would make a fine secretary of energy for these times to completion while proposed coal power of unprecedented challenge. He said, “… there’s a real plants get buried? dichotomy between advocating what we think is good for Marc Gerken, president America, which we all try to do in our own halting ways, and chief executive officer and doing what we must do for our shareholders. That of American Municipal kind of continues to haunt this industry as it always has.” Power, in Ohio, told A man that honest with himself should be freed to us, “Coal has a bright future. Politicians are put a career’s worth of wisdom to work for his country. just afraid to utter the word.” So let’s talk about politicians Martin Rosenberg Editor-In-Chief in this political season. John McCain JOin a cOMMuniTy OF BLOggErs DaiLy aT www.energyblogs.com and Barack Obama September/October 2008 oVer The pasT seVeral MonThs, 6 E n E rgyB i z http://www.energyblogs.com/rosenberg http://www.energyblogs.com
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