
WASHINGTON — While most lawmakers accept that more renewable energy is needed on the nation's grid, the debate over the giant climate-change and energy bill now before Congress is exposing a fundamental rift. For many players, the energy not only has to be clean and free of carbon-dioxide emissions, it also has to be generated nearby.
The division has set off a fight between Eastern and Midwestern politicians and grid officials over parts of the bill dealing with transmission lines and solar and wind energy. Many officials, including President Obama, say that the grid is antiquated and that thousands of miles of new power lines are needed to allow construction of wind farms and solar fields in the most promising spots. Many of the best wind sites are in the Midwest, far from the electric load in populous East Coast cities.
A complicated issue for sure but isn't it nice to have choices?
Midwest vs western states.
Can't both have their cake and eat it too?
Energy demand is only going to rise over time.
Might as well build redundancy into it.
Good point PNB. I think the best answer for the country is going to be both local and national sources of renewable energy. It's not like we are going to have too much energy anytime soon.
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