We Have a National Policy ... or Not

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When I wrote the other day [3] that an energy conference staple is a call for a national energy policy, I suggested that the United States was too big and diverse to have a national consensus on what might be one of the most contentious issues we face. I also expected readers to weigh in and I wasn't disappointed.

Comments seemed to be divided into a couple distinct camps, which offered some reactions that might have been expected and even some that offered perspectives I hadn't considered. These comments forced me to reconsider my original ideas along with those suggested by conference speakers who inspired me in the first place.

The main camps could be described as those who agree with my thesis; and one was that we have policies but some people don't like what they are.

Tom Conroy, president and CEO of Wind Tower Systems, said that watching the United States define a policy over the past 30 years, let alone implement one, shows how impossible the task has become.

"In the U.S., 'national energy policy' efforts devolve into high-cost subsidy programs to the politically powerful and connected. These leading energy/oil companies are clearly not interested in changing the status quo, as that would present unacceptable risks to their businesses" he wrote.

Steve Rosenstock, speaking for himself and not the members of Edison Electric Institute, where he is manager of energy solutions, challenged my premise. He thinks we've had plenty of policies enacted over the last 35 years, from 1970s laws like the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, through the Energy Policy acts of the 2000s to the changes in the stimulus bill.

"We have had a lot of policies.  It is just that some people don't like the current results of those policies, or don't think that things have changed fast enough," he wrote.

That's a point well-taken. Even if they were enacted ad hoc, or sometimes appear to be working at cross purposes, they do represent a policy. I suppose proponents of a national policy would prefer some coherent framework.
 
But the agglomeration of various laws is a policy, I suppose, just not an entirely rational one.

The editorial staff at RenewablesBiz.com is passionate about exchanging ideas and dedicated to promoting ongoing conversation about renewables and sustainable energy issues.  We invite you to join and contribute to our online community. If you have an idea for an article or editorial contribution, please contact me via email, bopalka@energycentral.com [4], or phone, 860.633.0090.