By Brian E. Clark
WisBusiness.com
MADISON – The United States has the technology to greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and trim energy use through existing technology, an environmental advocate told the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming today.
Daniel Lashof, of the Natural Resources Defense Council, advocated following a California program that has resulted in per-capita energy consumption that is 40 percent less than national rate.
Lashof, who head’s the council’s climate center, also said the country should stop building conventional coal-fired plants, switch to hyrbrid vehicles and fully embrace existing energy conservation technology.
Rick Kuester, executive vice president of Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Energy, agreed that the country has the tools to reduce energy consumption and efficiency.
“But I’m still taking it all in,” said Kuester, a member of the task force. “What I want to see, though, are the costs before this group makes any recommendations.
“Is is clear, though, that a lot can be done in the near term,” he added.
Charlie Higley, executive director of Citizens Utility Board, concurred and said he hopes Wisconsin can soon began efforts to reduce carbon dioxide pollution and further reduce energy waste.
Higley said the state now has three conventional coal-fired power plants under construction that will be expensive to retrofit if new federal laws require them to cut carbon emissions.
And he said he hopes that the state Public Service Commission will require a proposed Alliant facility to use a less-polluting – but more expensive – coal gasification technology.
But Higley said he would prefer that the project not be built and that Alliant increase energy conservation and its use of renewable fuels.
Lashof, who is based in Washington, D.C., praised California and said individual states are driving the energy policy in the United States.
He said the Golden State’s recent decision to cut consumption of energy from conventional coal-fired plants is accelerating research and development.
Lashof said Wisconsin and other states would be wise to begin efforts to reduce energy use and carbon emissions instead of delaying.
“The longer we wait, the harder it will be to achieve reductions and the greater negative impact it could have on the economy,” he said.
