Proof that Josh Hastings is a tree hugging Democrat

Point & Counterpoint: Hastings - Preserve finite resources, develop greener energy

Preserve finite resources, develop greener energy

Jul. 8, 2013

Written by

Josh Hastings

Fact 1: Coal, oil and natural gas are finite energy sources that will eventually be unavailable or too expensive for extraction and consumption.

Fact 2: The world population officially marked 7 billion in March of 2012; only 12 ½ years prior, the world population reached 6 billion. There is no getting around the fact that we need to invest in renewable energy to supply a rapidly growing world population and meet the demands of our quality of life.

According to a recent forecast by the International Energy Agency, the United States will overtake Saudi Arabia to become the world's biggest oil producer before 2020 and will be energy independent 10 years later. It’s no small notion that energy independence is within our grasp, but that victory is hollow if it isn’t accompanied with a plan that moves the country toward energy sources that aren’t finite.

Personally, I would like to see a future where ardently independent regions like the Eastern Shore embrace that self-sufficient mentality and move toward locally produced energy that doesn’t originate in the Middle East or cause health problems.

The United States should never play catch-up to other countries, but that’s what is happening with alternative energy diversity. Throughout the Caribbean, farms are producing methane gas via biodigestors and using the gas to power biodiesel production. Brazil is heavily investing in sugarcane-based ethanol. Denmark recently put a plan in place for half its energy mix to be generated through offshore wind. Germany, despite cloudy skies, is the world’s leader in solar energy.

In Maryland, we have much to be excited about. Farms, which dominate the Eastern Shore, have the most to gain from renewable energy innovation. Waste-to-energy plants and waste-to-heat options are being explored. If passed next year, the Community Renewable Energy Generation bill would allow multiple neighboring farms to install renewable energy systems and share energy credits — a potential game-changer.

This year, the General Assembly passed the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, which incentivizes energy development while safeguarding taxpayers. Unlike other energy subsidies, Maryland taxpayers won’t contribute to offshore wind projects until turbines are in place and generating energy. The law states Maryland won’t be liable for cost overruns. To top it off, charges to energy-consuming operations such as poultry farms are capped.

We shouldn’t immediately walk away from our current energy mix, and we won’t transform overnight. Low-cost energy is the key to continued American prosperity and dominance, but let’s make sure we have a plan in place to keep a reserve of finite resources while building toward an energy-independent, conservation-minded grid.

Josh Hastings is policy manager for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy.

http://archive.delmarvanow.com/article/A7/20130708/OPINION/307080005/Point-Counterpoint-Hastings-Preserve-finite-resources-develop-greener-energy