Guest Commentary: Advanced energy sources

Last month, President Obama stood up at Buckley Air Force Base and vowed not to walk away from the promise of clean energy. That he chose Colorado for his speech is telling. With a strong military presence and a vibrant advanced energy entrepreneurial community — Colorado has ranked third in clean technology venture investment for the past three years — the state is poised as the laboratory of the nation's energy future.

Should we stick to what we've relied on for the last 50 years and accept the economic insecurity that goes along with oil shocks, rising prices and concerns about foreign dependence? Or should we pursue a new path that gives America a greater say about its energy and economic future?

That debate is already well underway in Colorado, spurred by a mandate that 30 percent of the state's energy be supplied by renewables by 2020. Every time gas prices shoot up over $4 a gallon — as four out of five Americans believe it will in the next five years, according to a recent poll — the controversy heats up. But this debate isn't about our current energy needs; it's about the future.

Read the rest of the Op-Ed on denverpost.com »

 

What is Advanced Energy?

New energy solutions that are cost-effective, price-competitive, applicable on a wide scale, and secure in their sources. Learn more at AEE.net »