“A Better Shade of Green” in The New York Times
Jan 23, 2009 – J. Wayne Leonard, the CEO of the electric company Entergy, discusses renewable energy and carbon emissions in an op-ed piece in The New York Times. He explains how a national “renewable portfolio standard” using solar and wind power may be at cross purposes with attempting to reduce carbon emissions quickly because it may target replacement of more expensive natural gas that produces less carbon emissions than lower cost coal that produces more carbon emissions. He posits the question “And isn’t a maximum decrease in emissions the ultimate goal?” Well is it? It certainly isn’t the only goal. Energy independence for the US is also a goal for renewable energy. And does he have a biased view because as he points out Entergy produces less than 25% of its energy is produced from coal fired plants. Click on the link above to read the original piece and then add your comments here.