Iowa must get its energy act together

By Michael Knotek and Robert Gitchell

Iowa's healthy economic future rests on a robust energy strategy. Because strong emotions quickly surface whenever people discuss energy, the issue requires effective leadership from Gov. Chet Culver and Roya Stanley, director of the Iowa Office of Energy Independence. With input from the Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council, and the energy, agricultural, industrial and environmental sectors, the Iowa Legislature must act.

Energy production has three equal drivers: energy demand (meeting increasing needs), energy security (freedom from unreliable suppliers) and climate concerns (mitigating and adapting to climate changes). A successful energy strategy takes into account all three drivers, while being economical, sustainable and able to match the unique resources and energy requirements of Iowa.

Economic and energy growth in the coming decades will be dominated by the developing countries, who account for less than 40 percent of energy use, but by the end of the century will account for up to 80 percent. This increasing demand for energy is straining the supply of conventional sources, primarily fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and leading to the exploration of alternatives.

To securely meet this burgeoning demand, we must develop more domestic sources and diversify global supplies. Any new alternative energy system (wind, solar, biofuels, geothermal) must satisfy all the drivers (demand, security, climate) and also be economical and sustainable at the needed scale. For example, just to match the energy demand of Iowa's coal-fired power plants would require thousands of large windmills.

Every energy resource has advantages and shortcomings. Coal is plentiful, cheap and has powered the world's economic development over the last century. The coal option is critical for the future, but “clean” coal-based energy has yet to be achieved.

Dramatic development of domestic natural gas resources can provide a low-carbon energy source but involves the unknown risks of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

Nuclear energy is carbon free, but its issues of cost, safety, security, disposal, proliferation and public acceptance remain.

Wind and solar are essentially limitless but suffer from location, intermittency and lack of storage capabilities.

Cellulosic biofuels offer a viable alternative to oil and (since plants capture their carbon from the air) result in no net increase in atmospheric carbon. But using farmland to grow plants for biofuels requires integration with the continuing demands of food production and avoiding disruption of ecosystems.

In crafting Iowa's energy future, many low-cost, low-risk, high-impact options are available, e.g., ICCAC's 56 prioritized recommendations. Improved efficiency spurred on by technological advances, reduces energy demand. New energy technologies and resources also create new industries. Producing clean energy here in Iowa offers opportunities to reap substantial financial rewards and produce new jobs.

As the world population grows, as global gross domestic product increases, and as the energy needs of the world economies expand, the cost of energy will grow commensurately.

By forming an Omnibus Energy Council and taking a savvy approach to energy production and use, Iowa can respond appropriately. By solving these challenging energy problems, which Iowans have shown they are capable of, Iowa's agricultural and industrial bases will remain economically viable far into the future.

Cleaner and more secure energy is going to cost Iowans more. But failing to invest now will cost a lot more later.

Michael Knotek, a Council Bluffs native, is a private consultant on energy, technology and science. Other experience includes 35 years in conducting and managing research at U.S. Department of Energy laboratories and user facilities. Robert Gitchell is a retired Ames orthopedic surgeon.