Energy and climate are THE challenges of our time – both globally and in my corner of the Pacific Northwest – and no set of challenges will have a greater impact on our nation’s economy, environment and quality of life in coming decades. Indeed, no other issues have bigger implications for the planet and coming generations.
The central question is whether we will shape our energy future through intentional policy, investment and development, or whether it will shape us.
Answering this question is urgent, because the toll of our fossil fuel dependence is rising fast. We are struggling to make the complicated transition from 20th century energy infrastructure to new business models that can unleash the job-creation potential of low-carbon energy innovation.
We see the difficulties every day…
• In the high cost of maintaining outdated energy and transportation infrastructure;
• In trade wars aimed at locking up market share for next-generation energy products; and
• In heated policy debate about leveling the playing field for clean energy.
A national energy strategy is long overdue. We can no longer afford to pursue policy in fits and starts and send contradictory signals to the market. We have had a bad case of attention deficit disorder when it comes to renewable energy and energy efficiency, never quite committing to the clarity and consistency necessary to give entrepreneurs and investors the certainty and support they need to innovate.
Even as we celebrate the continuation of the federal renewable electricity production tax credit, we can’t help but be frustrated by the monumental effort required to secure short-term gains. Where is the vision, the leadership and the partnership at the local, regional and national level to do what’s need to upgrade the grid, invest in new transmission, streamline our regulatory processes, and design new finance mechanisms to accelerate the clean economy?
Well, let me tell you a little about how we do things here in the Pacific Northwest.
As you well know, Oregon has undergone a clean energy revolution over the past decade, a revolution in which wind energy has been at the forefront, and I believe we are leading the way to a new clean energy economy.
We’ve been working for years to de-carbonize our economy, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and polluting coal while developing home-grown expertise that creates local jobs, boosts our economy, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
