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Green Power vs Vulnerable Infrastructure, Oil Dependence
WASHINGTON, DC, February 4, 2002 (ENS) - The nation's exposed energy
infrastructure and growing oil dependence present significant security
risks to American citizens and the economy, warns a new report from the
Union of Concerned Scientists.
"The Bush administration and some in Congress are using September 11 to
push preconceived energy polices that would exacerbate our energy
insecurity," said Dr. Kurt Gottfried, a professor of physics at Cornell
University and
chairman of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Only responsible efficiency
measures and clean supplies will deliver a safer, cheaper, and cleaner
energy future."
 Diamond Shamrock refinery in Commerce
City, Colorado (Photo by David Parsons courtesy National Renewable Energy Lab
(NREL))
According to the report, "Energy Security: Solutions to Protect America's
Power Supply and Reduce Oil Dependence," released February 1, America's
energy infrastructure is makes an easy target for a well placed attack. A
disruption at a key power plant, refinery, transmission hub, or pipeline
can break the flow of power or fuel to millions of customers and create
costly energy price spikes.
A major accident at a nuclear power plant could kill tens of thousands and
contaminate an area the size of Pennsylvania, the report warns.
The scientists' group is responding to the State of the Union address last
Tuesday in which they say President George W. Bush "called for oil drilling
and subsidies to the fossil fuel industry."
In his first State of the Union speech, the President mentioned the word
oil only once and not in connection with subsidies. He did say, "Good jobs
also depend on reliable and affordable energy. This Congress must act to
encourage conservation, promote technology, build infrastructure, and it
must act to increase energy production at home so America is less dependent
on foreign oil."
 Wind turbine at the Public Service
Company of Colorado Windsource project in northeastern Colorado
(Photo by Brian Parsons courtesy NREL)
The Union of Concerned Scientists agrees with the President that America
must reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but not on the means to that
goal. The President favors oil and gas development, but the scientists'
group, along with other environmental organizations, say renewables and
efficiency would provide energy without the environmental problems that
accompany combustion of fossil fuels.
"Fuel efficient vehicles, buildings, and industry can save 2.5 million
barrels of oil per day by 2012, about as much as we imported from the
Persian Gulf in 2000," said Jason Mark, director of the Clean Vehicles
Program at Union of Concerned Scientists.
"By 2020, oil savings would total 5.9 million barrels per day, more than we
import from all OPEC countries today," he said.
The Union of Concerned Scientists report urges Congress to reduce the
vulnerability of the United States' energy supply "by passing new standards
that enhance nuclear safety and deliver oil saving cars to the road, high
efficiency technologies to buildings and industry, and renewable energy to
electrical outlets."
The Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs
administration, acting through the Office of Pipeline Safety, administers
the department's national regulatory program to assure the safe
transportation of natural gas, petroleum, and other hazardous materials by
pipeline.
It deals with leaks and spills, and the mapping of the nation's pipelines,
which is still a work in progress, but not, to date, with terrorist attack.
"The nation's power supply is inherently vulnerable to devastating
attacks," said Deborah Donovan, senior analyst in UCS's Clean Energy
Program. "Renewable energy sources do not carry the catastrophic
implications of attacks on nuclear plants, large centralized fossil fuel
plants, and pipelines."
According to the Office of Pipeline Safety, the U.S. pipeline network
consists of approximately 1.9 million miles of natural gas and hazardous
liquid pipelines operated by more than 3,000 operating companies.
Of these, 302,000 miles are natural gas transmission pipelines operated by
1,220 operators and 155,000 miles are hazardous liquid transmission
pipelines operated by 220 operators. In addition to transmission pipelines,
there are 94 liquefied natural gas facilities operating in the United
States.
 The Trans-Alaska Pipeline just outside
Fairbanks, Alaska. The 800 mile long Trans-Alaska Pipeline is one of the
largest pipeline systems in the world. It delivers about 20 percent of the
United States domestic oil production. (Photo by Bruce Green
courtesy NREL)
The Bush administration's energy policy issued May 17, 2001 calls for
modernizing and expanding America's energy infrastructure by creating a new,
high-tech energy delivery network; by expediting permitting for
infrastructure improvements; by expanding research on reliable energy
transmission..."
But that was before the terrorist strikes of September 11, when energy
security meant protecting Americans from soaring energy prices and helping
low income families with heating and cooling assistance.
In response to the terrorist attacks, President Bush established the Office
of Homeland Security headed by former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. The
office is responsible for coordinating efforts to protect U.S. critical
infrastructure from the consequences of terrorist attacks.
The Homeland Security Office is mandated to strengthen measures for
protecting "energy production, transmission, and distribution services and
critical facilities; other utilities; telecommunications; facilities that
produce, use, store, or dispose of nuclear material; and other critical
infrastructure services and critical facilities within the United States
from terrorist attack."
But that directive does not make the Union of Concerned Scientists feel
safer. "The President would increase our oil use and build a host of
large power plants, making our energy supply even more vulnerable," said
Alden Meyer, UCS director of government relations. "As the Senate takes up
energy legislation later this month, it's vital they take steps to shore up
our security by improving fuel economy standards and increasing
renewable energy use."
Energy sources like wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and landfill gas are
geographically dispersed, burn no volatile fuels, produce no radioactive
fallout in the event of an attack, and require less of the infrastructure
that delivers fuel and transmits electricity that makes the current system
vulnerable.
But last July, the Bush administration announced it will open a previously
untouched 1.5 million acre span of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural
gas drilling - the first new leases offered in more than a decade. The new
energy exploration was tailored to avoid Florida waters, heading off
conflicts between President George W. Bush and his brother, Florida
Governor Jeb Bush who does not want drilling rigs in Florida waters.
In addition, the Bush administration favors drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, a proposal criticized by most environmental groups who
fear it will disrupt the unique wildlife and ruin the pristine northern
coast.
The Union of Concerned Scientists says more oil and gas development is the
wrong path to take. Through efficiency and clean energy, the scientists
say, "we could, between now and 2020, avoid building 975 new power plants,
retire 180 coal plants, and close 14 nuclear plants. Hundreds of thousands
of miles of new gas pipelines would not be necessary. Independent studies
show that renewable energy delivers more jobs per dollar than investments
in fossil fuel plants. The Department of Energy estimates that harnessing
just fove percent of our energy from wind by 2020 would create 80,000 new
jobs."
The administration countered on January 9 with the announcement of a new
cooperative automotive research partnership between the U.S. Department of
Energy and the U.S. Council for Automotive Research that involves the use
of hydrogen in fuel cells that would replace the need to have engines that
are run on gasoline.
White House spokesman Ari Fleisher called the new initiative "exciting not
only because it can replace gasoline as a way to power vehicles, making
America more energy independent, but it's pollution free."
 Hydrogen fuel cells. Each cell can fit
within the engine compartment of a diesel bus. (Photo courtesy Ballard Power
Systems)
The Union of Concerned Scientists says fuel cell research is a step in the
right direction, but it does not solve the vulnerability problem. To
deliver a safer, cheaper, and cleaner energy future, the UCS calls on
Congress and the administration to raise fuel economy standards for cars
and light trucks to 40 miles per gallon by 2012.
The lawmakers should strengthen energy efficiency standards for appliances,
buildings, and industry, while increasing funding for efficiency programs,
the scientists say.
They want Congress to mandate that 20 percent of America's electricity to
come from renewable energy sources by 2020, along with appropriate
incentives.
Now the numbers. The United States sends more than $200,000 overseas each
minute to buy oil, the UCS estimates. "Even if we imported far less and
drilled more, the U.S. economy would still be susceptible to Persian Gulf
instability and OPEC market power because the price we pay for oil -
whether domestic or foreign - is tied to the world market. The estimated
costs of oil dependence to the U.S. economy are $7 trillion over the last
three decades.
The scientists argue that not only do efficient technologies and clean
power supplies create a safer energy future, they save consumers money.
In less than 20 years, the UCS reports estimates, the annual consumer
savings from efficiency and renewable energy would reach $150 billion per
year, $500 annually for a typical family.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2002. All rights reserved. |
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