This is the right time for the United States to seriously consider embarking on a bold investment of creating technology in energy that would reduce the cost of energy, create energy independence via renewable sources and attendant benefits of favorable trade balance, employment, higher GDP growth, deficit reduction and national debt reduction. The energy independence platform of the U.S. administrations, from President Carter to President Obama, has not met goals for energy independence. This void can be filled by a determined decision to make the U.S. the world's largest producer of renewable energy.
With the advent of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the early 70s, the energy crises ensued in the high energy-consuming countries in Europe along with the United States in which the price of oil was set and by OPEC -- an organized and collusive oligopoly -- a cartel. OPEC was able to shift approximately $2.1 trillion of additional wealth transfer -- above a free market price -- from the American consumers to oil producing countries during 1973-2011.
In response, the West has opted for energy independence attempting to develop renewable energy. But the effort has been meager. For instance 17% of Germany's electricity supply is in renewable energy and only 8% of energy supply draws upon renewable energy in the U.S. Other policy measures such as price control, raising oil taxes, monetary and fiscal incentives have not been effective. The United States' petroleum imports from OPEC were leveled at 41 percent in 2009, a much lower percentage from 70 percent in 1977. U.S. petroleum imports shifted from OPEC to non-OPEC after 1992; although petroleum prices are set by OPEC globally. The United States has had a negative energy trade balance since the mid-50s.
After nearly half a century of struggling with the energy issue in the U.S. the following are obvious:
Since energy independence is a public issue, the government must invest in basic and applied research perhaps in the order of $2 trillion despite the current status of high unemployment, high deficit, high national debt and high unfavorable balance of trade but because of it. A joint government -- university -- industry consortium is required to tackle the energy issue in a similar way that the government invented the computer, the internet and many other high tech societal innovations.
With its track record, the United States has proven to overcome challenges time and again. The energy challenge is no exception.
Nake M. Kamrany is Professor of Economics and Director of Program in Law and Economics at the University of Southern California. Vincent Viruni is a research associate of the Income Convergence Research Group in Los Angeles.
New York Times, November 1, 2002: "Meeting the world's rising energy needs without increasing global warming will require a research effort as ambitious as the Apollo project to put a man on the moon, a diverse group of scientists and engineers said in Science magazine today. "
"As systems increase in complexity, their energy intensity and energy requirements to sustain life rise accordingly." Hydrocarbons ceased fitting the energy bill, became obsolete, years ago. Nobel Prize winner, Ilya Progogine
The Promise of Energy for Everyone
References:
4 Years Go: http://possiblefuturesfilmcontest.org/film_24402363 The George Washington University’s Planet Forward: The Promise of Energy for Everyone Video http://planetforward.org/idea/looking-to-nature-for-a-new-take-on-energy A Power Point Introductory Presentation http://www.relaxspa.net/TheRadiusOfCurvature12-28-10PPShow2003.pps