Politicians and the media are constantly giving deceiving and tainted facts about the energy crisis. Many of the lies that these two sources feed are commonly accepted as truths because they are told so many times. Let these facts act as some clarification for those of us who want to know the truth.
 

#1 Coal produces what percentage of America’s electricity?
 

Answer: 50%. Coal is a dirty 19th century technology, yet still produces half of our electricity. France, in comparison, produces more than 80% of its electricity from carbon-free nuclear power.

 

#2 Which produces more greenhouse gas emissions, exhaust from automobiles or emissions from coal power plants?
 

Answer: Coal power plants. Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel, more so than oil and natural gas. As plug-ins and electric cars hit the road in the coming years, it will be increasingly important to clean up our power plants.
 

#3 When Saudi Arabia announced, on June 23, that it would produce more oil to relieve pressure on prices, oil was already at $136 per barrel. How much did the price of oil fall?

Answer: Not one dollar. In fact, the price rose that day. Even Saudia Arabia, which has the largest proven reserves in the world, has little control over oil prices. Proponents of offshore drilling, like John McCain, claim that more drilling will reduce prices. Yet, with only 3% of proven reserves under U.S. control, this is one problem we cannot drill our way out of.
 

#4 The wind power potential in the United States is equivalent to what percentage of our current electricity use?

Answer: More than 500%. America’s Midwest is rich with wind resources–that’s why it’s called the Saudia Arabia of wind. North Dakota by itself can power 1/3 of America. The challenge here is providing incentives for wind developers and building a more robust grid to transmit the electricity.
 

#5 What percentage of their carbon emissions do “clean coal” power plants capture and store safely in the United States?

Answer: Zero. None. Industry groups tout “clean coal”, but there are no utility scale power plants that capture their carbon dioxide. Carbon capture is not cost-effective for reducing carbon emissions, and probably will not be for a long time. Which are proven cost effective technologies? Increased efficiency, wind, hybrids, and increasingly, solar.
 

#6 How much of America’s nighttime electricity needs could be met with solar power?

100%. The United States is flush with sun, especially in the southwest. While the sun only shines during the day, solar thermal power plants can produce power at night by storing the sun’s heat in liquids like molten salt. Young companies like Ausra and eSolar are rapidly advancing these technologies and claim that solar thermal will soon be cheaper than coal.
 

#7 What percentage of America’s electricity could come from solar thermal arrays covering an area 100 miles by 100 miles in the American Southwest?

100%. That’s right. All of it. Even at night, as discussed above. This is an encouraging fact. America can transform its electricity grid with one plot of land in the southwest. The challenges include upgrading the electricity grid, mobilizing resources, and overcoming political opposition. But with concerted leadership, such as T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore have demonstrated, this could be a reality.

So why is it that the media has not already informed us on information of such importance?