The Department of NO Energy

Following the second Arab Oil Embargo in 1976, the Department of Energy was founded in 1977. The primary goal of the DOE was to ensure a that the United States would never again be at the mercy of a foreign power for the energy necessary to power the US economy. This would be a 3 prong effort:

1.   Develop the energy technologies for the future
2.   The expansion of nuclear energy and disposal of radioactive waste.
3.   Ensure the domestic flow of energy

Somewhere along the way, something went wrong. Billions of dollars have been spent over 33 years and none of these goals have been accomplished.

1.   There has been some development in new energy, but nothing yet that can replace fossil fuels. Wind, solar and waves can produce a small amount of power, but will never be able to be a primary supplier. Ethanol has been a bust. It takes more energy to grow the corn, distill it and then transport it to the end user than it provides. It also raises the price of corn and thereby inflates the cost of food.

2.   The last nuclear plant built in the United States, the River Bend Plant in Louisiana was started in 1977. Coincidentally (?) the very year the DOE was formed. Also, the Yucca Flats facility for the storage of nuclear waste was scrapped after more billions of dollars. The only form of electricity that costs less than nuclear to produce is hydro, but there has been no political will to approve more than a token number of new nuclear plants. The US only obtains 20% of its power from nuclear compared to 88% in France.

3.   There can be no case made that the DOE has insured the domestic flow of energy. In fact, it seems that they have fought all new uses of fossil fuels and nuclear since the onset. Under Clinton, the Department of the Interior grabbed up all the oil shale properties in the west and turned them into protected wilderness. They also banned drilling for oil in the Anwar area of Alaska, even though new drilling tecnologies have a very small footprint. They have banned all offshore drilling off the east and west coasts and the coast of Florida. The Department of the Interior and its Secretary Ken Salazar are currently in contempt of court for sitting on permits to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

In the meantime, there is instability in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf and the price of gasoline is ticking higher every day. This could not be a worse time to have an energy problem. The economy is shakily trying to get back on its feet and this could be a body blow.

Congress needs to take a new look at what the goals of the DOE should be and get them back on track. So far, this has been a horrible failure.