Obama Urged to Create Unified Power Grid

Power lines across America

Just days after the historic presidential election in the United States, projects are starting to line up for President-Elect Barack Obama. Obama campaigned heavily on issues related to renewable energy and independence from foreign oil supplies. Now, he is being urged by Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection to create a unified power grid so that wind, solar and geothermal technologies can continue to advance and global warming halted. You may have heard about the Alliance recently when the major news network, ABC refused to air a Repower America advertisement in favor of ads for Chevron.

Just yesterday, the “We Can Solve It” website (a project of the Alliance for Climate Protection) posed a very large question to the new President-Elect:

“NOW WHAT?”

The goal of the Alliance for Climate Protection is to repower America with 100% clean electricity within 10 years. In order to do so, a unified power grid connecting clean energy sources across the nation is required. For example, geothermal-produced electricity generated in Oregon could be transmitted to homeowners and businesses in Illinois.

“Our nation just made history. “We have an historic opportunity to boost our economy and repower America with 100 percent clean electricity within 10 years. It will create new American jobs, end our addiction to dirty coal and foreign oil and solve the climate crisis.”

The Alliance is urging the creation of national electricity “interstates” that have the capacity to move power quickly and cheaply to where it is required, as well as local smart grids that buy and sell power from households that have generated electricity with solar or wind technologies. These smart grids would also support plug-in electric vehicles. In order to accomplish these important goals, a unified power grid must be organized and planned, potentially with the help of a new Cabinet position of “Energy Czar.” Al Gore and Arnold Schwarzenegger are among the people being considered for the potential Cabinet post.

A new day is dawning in America.

Wind Turbines in Central Oregon

We have the opportunity with the change in leadership to slow global warming and its devastating impacts. It is time now to end our “addiction to foreign oil,” and achieve true energy independence through use of our abundant natural resources – wind, sun and geothermal.

Let’s urge the new Administration to make building a unified power grid a high priority, and continue encouraging investment in clean, renewable energy sources. What did Obama say throughout his campaign?

“Yes we Can!!”