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Pam Keith on Energy & Oil |
We are very close to finding the "holy grail" of clean energy, which is storable and deployable solar energy. Currently, solar energy is greatly under-utilized for a variety of reasons, chief amongst them that the sun does not shine all day. If solar energy could be stored for long periods of time and deployed as needed, it would become the go-to form of energy across the globe. I propose that we dramatically step up our collective efforts to fund research in the area of solar battery storage for industrial, home and vehicle use, which would include tax incentives for private companies working in this area, funding for scholarly research, and perhaps even creating a national prize for enterprising individuals to work in this area as well. I also support tax incentives for companies that develop wind energy and clean energy transmission.
There can be no question that the federal government must act to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions now. Coal burning is neither clean, nor efficient, and is a form of energy that must be rapidly phased-out of this nation's energy mix. Additionally, I support regulations that reduce industrial carbon emissions, and as importantly, vehicle emissions. It is high time that we start phasing out gas vehicles.