Hugh Bollinger / Thursday, April 14, 2011

Energy costs and legislative back sliders

by Conrad Anker Living in Bozeman, Montana, 75 miles from edge of the Yellowstone caldera, I have a certain acceptance of natural calamity. The “hot spot” created by a plume of magma last erupted 600,000 years ago, devastating our region and western North America. Yellowstone has a very high probability that it will erupt in the future. As such, we realize we are merely guests in geologic time. The likelihood of it happening in the next 100 years, though, is an acceptable risk for our community. Japan is similarly close to the forces of the natural world. Due to plate tectonics, the Pacific Rim is the planet’s most active earthquake zone. Undersea earthquakes and the resultant tsunami pose an immediate and frequent risk to Japan. The magnitude of the March 11 earthquake overwhelmed Japan’s reputable preparedness capability. The immediate loss of life and property is now compounded by a collapsed nuclear reactor. The fallout of this disaster, both in the literal form of radiation and metaphorical business sense will send repercussions across the world. Japan’s manufacturing expenses will escalate and global insurance companies with payouts in Japan will likely increase premiums. The severity of the Fukushima power plant melt down of is part of the risk that Japan accepted by sourcing 29% of its electricity from nuclear energy. This is a painful reminder that the costs associated with nuclear energy are greater than monetary. Although entirely unrelated to the tsunami, except that both occurred in early 2011, the human-induced instability in Libya is also connected to the world’s energy supply. Colonel Gaddafi, an oppressive and violent dictator is kept in power by revenue from the petroleum he controls. Our nascent presence in this conflict has committed our armed forces at the cost of $60 million a day. The uprising in Libya is going to test our capability to be peacemakers in an increasingly unstable and important -- from an energy standpoint -- region of the world. Humans are the problem when it comes energy. From oil to electricity, we require staggering amounts to keep our lives going. But we also must accept that there are serious risks associated with this energy. From the contamination peril of uranium and plutonium, to the political instability associated with petroleum, to the carbon burden of coal; all these current energy sources carry a significant degree of risk. While it would be naïve to think we can end human dependency on said sources within 50 years, we should be looking for solutions to benefit future generations. If we step up to solar, wind and geo-thermal energy development, we will be part of the solution. The opportunity from an economic standpoint is significant -- building the machines to harness these three forces means building stuff. And building stuff creates jobs. And yet some states are not encouraging and supporting development. My state, for instance. The 2011 Montana legislative session is rife with laws detrimental to the new energy sector. SB 253 aims to remove efficiency and renewable tax credits, HB 533 will revise coal leasing laws, HB 593 strips the clean air requirement, allowing for higher levels of mercury and SB 330 will redefine renewable energy to the benefit of non-renewable sources. These backward-thinking bills create market externalities (dis-incentives) on new energy and have the economic effect of giving jobs to the international market. We need to send a message that we, by responsibility and opportunity, are in the game. And this starts with sending a message to your elected representative that you stand for clean, low-risk energy. -- Conrad Anker is a world-famous mountaineer, explorer and filmmaker. You can become a fan of his new movie, "The Wildest Dream," on Facebook. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="From "The Wildest Dream," Anker, on the left, recreates the 1924 Everest journey of George Mallory with Leo Houlding, on the right. Photo from National Geographic."] Photo: Men climbing mountain in replica 1920s gear

Photo: Men climbing mountain in replica 1920s gear

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Energy costs and legislative back sliders

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