Jul 18, 2008 8:19 am US/Mountain
Colorado Energy Experts: Gore's Plan Doable
Former Veep Pushes Nation To End Reliance On Carbon-Based Fuels
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Two experts on renewable energy in Colorado support Al Gore's challenge the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years.
The Nobel Prize-winning former vice president said fellow Democrat Barack Obama and Republican rival John McCain are "way ahead" of most politicians in the fight against global climate change.
CBS4's Dave Aguilera talked with Phil von Hake of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and Keith Hay of Environment Colorado. Both think Gore's plan is doable.
"It's definitely aggressive and ambitious," von Hake said. "But I think it is feasible in the sense that the fuel is there it's all around us. The wind that's blowing, the sun that's coming down."
He said one important improvement would be improving the power grid.
"Investment in a smarter transmission system," von Hake said. "Our grid definitely needs to be upgraded in Colorado. If we're going to be able to capture all the energy from the wind and the sun and all these remote areas and bring it to Denver and the Front Range."
Gore's price tag on a complete energy switch runs as high as $3 trillion. Von Hake said whatever the final cost is, the country should make that money back.
"With every energy efficiency or renewable energy technology, there is always a higher cost up front for say solar panels, or wind turbines or a more efficient vehicle or appliance, but that price is paid back because that fuel is free," said von Hake.
Hay said there are companies in Colorado that could lead the way to this change.
"We're seeing industry leaders like Xcel Energy," said Hay. "They are the number one wind source power electric utility in the United States. They've jumped in wholesale because they realize there is a benefit there customers and it's a benefit to the state.
"Regardless of what you think about climate change and what you think about humans are causing it or not, that doesn't matter. Especially when we're paying $4 a gallon for gas, we need to do something to shift away from fossil fuels."
Both men said money is big player in the debate. Most would could from private sources, which means big companies will become more invested when they see there is money to be made.
They said that's what happened when the nation switched from an agricultural economy to an industrial one.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
