ZOMG! I actually agree with Thomas Friedman:
We have no energy strategy. If you are going to use tax policy to shape energy strategy then you want to raise taxes on the things you want to discourage — gasoline consumption and gas-guzzling cars — and you want to lower taxes on the things you want to encourage — new, renewable energy technologies. We are doing just the opposite.Of course, I go further and say that not only lower taxes on renewable sources but actively and aggressively fund the research into these technologies. He goes on to say:
These credits are critical because they ensure that if oil prices slip back down again — which often happens — investments in wind and solar would still be profitable. That’s how you launch a new energy technology and help it achieve scale, so it can compete without subsidies.What he says for wind and solar goes for biofuels. Biofuels should be pushed much harder than wind and solar because of the dramatic effect abundant, cheap and sustainable biofuels would have on our National Security. Eliminate the demand for Saudi oil (via drilling, oil sands/shale or biofuels) and our future National Security is greatly enhanced.
Before all the “fuel for food” peeps go all ranty on me, I am not suggesting that corn is the best or even a good feedstock for biofuel. Not because of the indescribably foolish “effect on food prices” argument, but because it yields far less fuel per acre/year that just about any other feedstock. Personally I like algae.
Oil dependence is a serious National Security issue. It should be treated as such.
(HT: Insty)
“We have no energy strategy”. Indeed we don’t and are in dire need of one. However, don’t confuse tactics with strategy. Take a look at John A. Warden III’s piece: Energy Strategy before Energy Policy to see what I mean. He’s nailed it.
Comment by Sun Tzu — April 30, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
You are one of the few other people I have even heard mention algae. For some reason, whenever I say that, it’s like a crack in the fabric of reality opens up enough to suck my words out of the room, and then time starts again. It’s fun to try the first couple of times for the novelty of it and then it becomes boring.
Here was a decent read: http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/rapier/2006/0623.html
Sometimes it’s easier to throw this at a Corn Worshipping Drone (CWD) than to type out a logical argument. Keep up the good fight.
Comment by Lemur King — May 2, 2008 @ 11:57 pm