Article

Solving Our Nation’s Energy Predicament

Podesta, Pickens, and Reid discuss how to solve the United States' energy challenges in a Chicago Tribune op-ed.

In their first month, President Barack Obama and the 111th Congress dramatically advanced clean-energy opportunities. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan has $90 billion of investments and incentives for energy efficiency in buildings and homes, renewable electricity and other clean-energy programs that could potentially create 500,000 jobs while reducing energy use and saving oil.

The plan includes $17 billion for transmission and smart-grid investments and $54 million for clean-fuels infrastructure incentives, all essential to addressing our energy challenges.

But it’s imperative that we give top priority to these three objectives:

  • Build a more reliable and efficient electrical transmission grid to meet the demand for clean, renewable electricity.
  • Develop "smart-grid" technologies that will save consumers money.
  • Reduce our foreign-oil dependency and develop a clean, alternative transportation fuel infrastructure.

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Authors

Sen. Harry Reid