National Security to Lead Renewable Energy Deployment

[NVMojo]

Washington D.C. If one actionable priority could be distilled from the chorus of support expressed for renewables at last week's conference of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), it's that the time has come to shift the nation's priorities from an era of research and development to one of major deployment. And the one mantra rising above the conference chatter that might create enough political muscle to kick-off that shift can be summed up in two words: National Security.

At the packed conference, 24 national leaders spoke to over 500 experts from industry and finance in the Cannon Caucus Room of the U.S. House of Representatives, sharing their experience, expertise, and hopes for the various renewable energy technologies that scatter the broad energy landscape. The conference was convened primarily to acknowledge that the past three decades of research and development in the U.S. have yielded positive results and that it's time to move into a new phase -- a broad and deliberate deployment phase.

"Back in the '70s, we did not have the technologies," said Michael Eckhart, President of ACORE. "Now it's time to say we've done well, we have the technologies, some are commercialized and some are near, but we have succeeded and now it's time to move into Phase II where we put those options to use."

more....

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/010305_energy_deployment.shtml

[phantom power]

1. This is good.

The bad news is, "energy security" will also be used as rationalization for a huge push to increase the use of domestic coal.

[NVMojo]

4. I don't like the security connection either ...

[phantom power]

7. personally, I do like the security angle.

Our dependence on foreign energy sources is possibly the single biggest national security weakness we currently have. Or, at the very least, it goes on the short list.

It's also one of the most effective ways to highlight how mis-guided the Bush administration is. One of the few issues that I can usually get "conservatives" to agree with is that we would be far more secure if we didn't depend on OPEC for the energy that runs our economy, agriculture, military, etc.

I think we need to play this angle, loudly and frequently.

[Vogon_Glory]

8. The Security Angle: Think Of How bin Laden Is Funded...

Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network is being funded in large part by wealthy Islamic extremists giving money to so-called "charities" and to other networks (Which we all know are inconvenient facts that the Boosh regime and their Banana Republican allies are covering up). Alternate energy sources lessen the need for petroleum from the Arabian peninsula and leave these a$$h*les less money to saddle their Wahabbi hobby horses.

Alternate energy sources and biomass-powered fuel cells also look to provide more zap for the buck if the manufacturing costs can come down further.

[Massachusetts]

2. To be continued

Military has been looking into using fuel cells to power field radio equipment etc., instead of conventional batteries.

This could be promising if addressed properly, but then again Bu$hco is leading the way.

[rodeodance]

3. so are the WH oil barons listening to this?

Great meeting and I applaud their work but they have lots of work ahead of them to convince the drill people in the WH of this proposal!!

[NVMojo]

5. especially the drill people who work closely with Cheney and Wyoming ...

[Ready4Change]

6. One good thing.

Since it's seen as a National Security issue, the administration can't kills this initiative by eliminating/reducing this departments budget, which has been one of their techniques in similar circumstances.

Watch out for backrooom politics, though.