Energy Policy - Even the President doesn't get it

Like many of us I decided to watch at least some of BHO's press conference today regarding the Republican tsunami that just washed into Foggy Bottom. It was all pretty predictable. What got me leaping out my chair, however, was his response to a question on whether or not the cap and trade concept was dead in the water.

Now one would think that the Prez would be well briefed on energy issues since he makes such a big deal out of the need for "green" technologies and "green" jobs. I am a big supporter of new nuclear power projects in the US so was pleased to see him give a nod in support of new nuclear plant development. It was at that point that he went off the rails. He said we need more nuclear power to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil!!

I have said it before in this space and I will say it again since this seems to be a myth that won't die. With the exception of emergency back-up diesel and gasoline powered generators, the US does not - repeat does not - use any significant amount of oil for the production of electricity. So let's be clear - new nuclear power generation will not reduce our dependence on foreign oil one iota. (Nor for that matter will new wind farms or solar power plants - sorry T. Boone Pickens.)

What it will do is replace coal and natural gas as the major alternative sources of fuel for this purpose. If the Prez had said we need to promote nuclear power as a way to help reduce the generation of CO2 then he would have been correct, but to use foreign oil reduction as the strawman benefit shows either a complete lack of understanding of the nation's energy infrastructure or a cynical throw away line to avoid upsetting the natural gas and coal lobbies and their union constituencies.

So the only conclusion one can reach is that BHO is either ignorant when it comes to energy issues or is deliberately mis-representing (dare I say lying about) the facts to promote his own political and policy objectives. Guess which one I would choose.

As readers of this space are aware I am a man-made global warming skeptic. Note that I am not saying that the globe is not warming, but I reject the notion that it is largely man-made. Just look at what is currently happening in Indonesia. The Mt Merapi volcano has been spewing gas and ash into the atmosphere for over a week and this is not the first such major eruption this year. While I have no hard data my guess is that one volcano like Merapi dumps as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere in a week as the human population does in a year.

It is a conceit of the human condition that makes us believe we are such an important and significant influence on the global climatic system. Doesn't the power of a hurricane like Andrew or Katrina or a volcano like Merapi give us pause and make us awed by the absolute futility of man in the face of the globe's natural phenomenon. I am willing to accept the notion that the global climate may indeed be in a warming cycle, but I reject, and there is no credible evidence to support, the hypothesis that this warming is solely the result of human activity.

So Mr. President, while I applaud your support for new nuclear power plant development, let's get our facts straight on what the benefits will be. The best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil is to move to an all-electric ground transportation system. If you are worried about CO2 emissions then nuclear power is the most logical choice to power that new fleet of electric vehicles.

Comments are always welcome.