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I’ve had the opportunity to speak with several business and agriculture groups in Nebraska this December and at each stop there was a lot of interest in renewable energy and the role that Nebraska’s agriculture-based economy will play in the future.
Most of us in Congress remain committed to pursuing energy independence. President-Elect Obama has already said he is committed to renewable energy not only to address the overall energy situation but to help solve problems with the economy through stimulus plans.
Before we had the economic crisis we had an energy crisis and I do not believe they are separate, nor should they be addressed separately.
A NEW ENERGY ECONOMY
America needs to move to a new energy economy, where we steadily improve energy efficiency and our energy production in a sustainable way--with as much renewable energy as possible.
I see a valuable role for the federal government to play. It can help build the infrastructure needed to allow the renewable energy industries to build, grow and succeed.
Renewable electricity such as wind power from the Nebraska plains needs a nation-wide transmission grid that can move it from the fields to the population centers.
A NEW ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
I would like to see us steer money from any stimulus package toward building this energy infrastructure. I envision an “Energy Superhighway” that goes coast-to-coast and from North to South -- the backbone of a new energy grid that can deliver power from the Plains to the coasts.
Nebraska is blessed with energy resources, including wind, biofuels, solar, nuclear and natural gas. Building the infrastructure to sell this energy to markets outside the state makes sense. In wind energy alone, a U.S. Department of Energy study showed that boosting production of our electricity from wind to 20 percent by 2030 could generate $8.9 billion in revenue for Nebraska, and create 26,000 construction and 3,600 long-term jobs.
WINDFALL ON THE FARM
There are other opportunities. For example, ranchers could earn additional money by leasing land to erect wind turbines. Farmers who build bio-digesters, or install solar panels on their property could sell their energy back to the electricity grid. They could turn their energy bills into energy paychecks for a real windfall, if you’ll pardon the pun.
With the right foresight and effort, we can begin building a new energy economy that benefits the entire country, and taps into the talents and resources on our farms, ranches and in our rural communities. We can work to make these changes happen, together.
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