Environmental Leader

Business Roundtable, an association of 160 CEOs of leading U.S. companies, has released an energy plan calling for a more diversified and domestic-based energy supply mix, increased energy efficiency and greater investment in new energy technologies.

The recommendations, available in the plan entitled “More Diverse, More Domestic, More Efficient: A Vision for America’s Energy Future” (PDF), were developed through a consensus-driven process led by Business Roundtable’s CEO members representing multiple sectors of the economy, and call for a mix of sound government policies, technological innovation, and proactive, voluntary efforts.

“Any pathway that can enhance our energy security should be on the table and we should consider and explore all options. While continued innovation is crucial, we must also implement the break-through solutions already in existence -? increasing the role of renewables, optimizing power grid efficiency and design, and putting efficiency upgrades in place in existing power plants can and should be achieved immediately,” said George Nolen, president and CEO, Siemens Corporation.

Among the recommendations in the Roundtable energy security blueprint are those calling for:

• Expanded use of bio-fuels, starting with 10 percent ethanol in gasoline as quickly as possible and then scaling-up advanced bio-fuels such as biobutanol and cellulosic ethanol as warranted by technology advances in the vehicles and fuels sectors;
• Developing and deploying energy efficient vehicle technologies to the maximum extent feasible;
  Reducing energy intensity outside the transportation sector by at least 25 percent above the anticipated business-as-usual rate of improvement, which would mean an overall reduction in energy intensity of 40 percent by 2025 (energy intensity is energy consumed per unit of economic output);
• Expanded access to oil and natural gas supplies in the Rocky Mountains, along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts and the Eastern Gulf of Mexico regions, and in Alaska;
• Maintaining a viable and growing nuclear power sector; and
• Increased use of coal-to-liquids and coal gasification processes to produce transportation fuels, and syngas for electricity production use in manufacturing feedstock.

“Wise and efficient use of energy is one of the best strategies for enhancing our energy security,” said Michael Thaman, chairman and CFO, Owens Corning. “While we must push ourselves to think bigger and achieve even more, we believe we must readily embrace what is already available. Energy efficiency strategies, using known technology in new and existing residential and commercial buildings can improve efficiency by up to 50 percent. Those efficiency technologies must be put into place.”