Electric Co-ops and Climate Change: Bridging the Technology Gap
Even as consensus solidifies around the need to reduce greenhouse gases, America’s need for electric power is growing. America’s electric cooperatives need to build more baseload electric power plant capacity.
Congress and states must now resolve hard issues: How do we reduce greenhouse gases? At what cost? In what time frame? Using what techologies?
Where NRECA stands
As cost-effective technology is not currently commercially available to capture and store CO 2 produced by coal-based power plants, NRECA believes that any realistic policy must include a substantial, prolonged research and development program.
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has identified seven critical areas for research and development in the electric power sector:
- renewable energy
- energy efficiency
- nuclear power
- advanced clean coal generation
- carbon capture and sequestration
- distributed energy
- plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Climate change is a global issue: American policy must encourage equal international efforts by all major emitting nations.
To learn more about NRECA’s position affecting Climate Change, please select the links below.
News:
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NRECA Proposes Modifications to S. 2191, the “America's Climate Security Act of 2007”
May 9, 2008- As the Senate prepares to take up climate change legislation, Glenn English urged caution, citing potential harm to rural economic growth and electric consumers.
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Flawed climate change policy could lead to "very expensive and unreliable power," warns FERC Chairman, Joseph Kelliher
April 4, 2008 - Kelliher sees advisory role for FERC in finding a balance between environmental and energy goals. more >>
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Estimates Cost of Lieberman-Warner Bill to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions
March 19, 2008 - S. 2191 projected to be nearly twice as expensive as either McCain-Lieberman (S. 139) or Bingaman-Specter (S. 1766). more >>
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Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Joseph Kelliher: Planning for Energy Supply and Addressing Climate Change a Balancing Act
March 11, 2008 - 2008 National Electricity Delivery Forum offers diverse perspectives on the role of electricity delivery infrastructure in addressing climate change, demand growth, and energy security. more >>
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A New Estimate by the Energy Information Administration Shows Annual Growth in Electricity Demand Dropping from 1.5 Percent, as Projected in 2007, to 1.1 Percent
March 10, 2008 - New lighting efficiency standards included in last year’s energy bill lowers a previous 2008 estimate of residential electricity usage in 2030, according to Senate testimony by Administrator Guy Caruso. more >>
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The New Carbon Principles: Banking on Climate Change Legislation
February 21, 2008 - “Banks and private utilities are even now planning how to mitigate the financial risks of impending climate change legislation. Co-op leaders must do the same for consumers,” says NRECA CEO Glenn English in Electric Co-op Today. more >>
Related Resources On NRECA.coop:
Electric Cooperatives: Meeting the Challenges of a Carbon-Constrained Future (PDF)
Documents: