Crank up clean energy
Story Discussion Font Size: Default font size Larger font size A Wisconsin State Journal editorial | Posted: Saturday, December 12, 2009 10:55 am | (3) Comments



The Madison Gas and Electric Co. power plant in Downtown Madison plans to stop burning coal by 2011 in favor of natural gas.
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It might be hard to muster concern over global warming after shoveling a foot of snow in freezing temperatures last week across Wisconsin.

But the risk of man-made climate change is real and demands action - even if some scientists have overstated the evidence.

The bottom line is this: Burning less petroleum and coal that produces heat-trapping greenhouse gasses makes sense regardless of climate change fears.

A smart and determined transition to cleaner energy will be good for national security, public health and - if done carefully - Wisconsin's economy.

World leaders are gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark, this week for the United Nation's climate change conference. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle is there with a delegation of governors and Canadian premiers.

A lot of the discussion will center on targets for reducing carbon emissions from smoke stacks and vehicles - and what to do if goals aren't met.

America and China spew more fossil-fuel pollution into the atmosphere than anyone, meaning we have more responsibility to lead toward a solution.

Congress is debating cap-and-trade legislation that would limit and gradually reduce our nation's carbon emissions over time. If designed well, cap and trade has some merit.

It could create an open market in which power plants and factories buy and sell permits for the right to emit pollution linked to global warming. Over time, the cap declines.

The strategy has already worked to reduce the compounds that cause acid rain.

But the Midwest faces more risk if caps on carbon are strict and sudden. That's because Wisconsin is a manufacturing state that gets a huge percent of its energy from coal.

Wisconsin's congressional delegation needs to ensure any cap-and-trade bill treats the Midwest fairly. A jolt to energy prices here could break an already fragile economy.

Democrats also need to resist the temptation to erect trade barriers against countries that don't reduce carbon pollution fast enough. Trade barriers would only be an additional drag on job creation.

A better approach is to build flexibility into any new regulation while encouraging green technology that plays to Wisconsin's strengths. Our state has tremendous agricultural and wood resources, for example, that can be harnessed for bio-fuels. Madison also is home to a major research university.

Wisconsin is finally making it easier for wind turbines of varying sizes to go up on farm fields, and there's huge potential for wind turbines over Lake Michigan.

Solar and geothermal power need to be part of Wisconsin's new era in energy. But so do clean-coal technology and an expansion of carbon-free nuclear power.

Energy conservation is important. Yet technology is the key to greater efficiency. Expecting Americans to give up the conveniences of modern life isn't realistic.

The release of more than 1,000 e-mails between a few prominent climate scientists has stirred controversy in recent weeks. The e-mails suggest some scientists can be rude and dismissive when challenged. The scientists also presented data in slanted ways.

But evidence far beyond the work of those few scientists involved in the flap suggests rising global temperatures pose serious risk of flooding, drought and human misery.

Both sides of the global-warming debate have their extremists. Leaders in Copenhagen and Congress need to work from the middle to craft a thoughtful and cost-conscious approach to cleaner air policy.

Wisconsin and the world need solutions that ease global warming while simultaneously benefiting public health, national defense and jobs.