Gov. Tom Corbett Tuesday unveiled a State Energy Plan he says adopts an “All of the Above” energy policy that reflects Pennsylvania’s diverse energy portfolio of coal, natural gas, oil, hydropower, wind, solar and other renewables.
The Plan makes 19 recommendations for future action in several categories: Energy Independence, advance innovative technologies, community readiness, competitive energy markets, economic development, energy efficiency and storage, increase alternative and renewable deployment and workforce development and education.
The Plan notes Pennsylvania is home to the second largest energy field in the world and the Commonwealth is the fourth largest producer of energy in the United States-- second in electricity, nuclear and natural gas production, fourth in coal production, ninth in solar capacity, fifteenth in wind capacity installed and nineteenth in crude oil production.
Recommendations
The Energy Plan includes these recommendations--
-- Abundant, Affordable, Domestic Energy: Continue to Advance Our Nation’s Energy Independence
— Support advancements in coal technology to reduce emissions while retaining jobs in Pennsylvania’s mining industry.
— Urge the federal government to develop long-term nuclear waste storage solutions by adopting the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.
— Position Pennsylvania to be the first state in the nation to make Natural Gas Vehicles commonplace.
— Continue to back the resurgence of Pennsylvania’s refineries made possible by natural gas.
-- Advance Innovative Technologies: Make Today’s Cutting Edge Technologies Commonplace in the Future
— Promote market driven biofuels development.
— Continue to support co-generation, promoting energy efficiency and reducing energy costs.
— Support new technology to treat legacy environmental issues such as treating acid mine drainage through hydropower.
-- Competitive Energy Markets: Continue to Support Electric and Natural Gas Choice for Pennsylvania’s Citizens and Businesses
— Support market-based approaches to electricity and natural gas supply that lowers prices and encourages innovation in the types of products retail suppliers offer.
— Continue competitive energy supply offers that provide both low prices and ancillary energy products to meet the needs of any business operation.
-- Community Readiness: Encourage Ready-to-Go Communities to Partner with Businesses to Create New Jobs
— Make certain Pennsylvania’s communities are willing and ready for new energy-related businesses through a structure of sound land use planning that reflects individual community needs and predictable, efficient local review processes.
-- Economic Development: Attract New Business Investment by Taking Full Advantage of Pennsylvania’s Energy Portfolio
— Proactively meet with business leaders and site selection consultants in targeted energy industries to explain the attributes and advantages of a Pennsylvania business location.
— Proactively meet with existing Pennsylvania firms in supply chains focused on targeted energy industries to identify ways to increase industry partnerships and promote business expansion.
-- Energy Efficiency & Storage: Encourage Energy Efficiency and Storage Efforts that Prevent Energy Waste
— Promote programs that encourage businesses and energy generators to maximize efficiency and conserve energy.
-- Increase Alternative & Renewable Deployment: Support Market-Based Decisions that Increase the Use of Naturally Regenerative Energy Sources
— Continue to support co-generation to promote the efficient use of resources and reduce energy costs.
— Support new technology to treat former environmental issues such as the treatment of acid mine drainage through hydropower.
-- Energy Infrastructure: Continue to Support Improvements to Make Our Energy More Affordable, Reliable and Efficient
— Support efforts to improve the security and reliability of Pennsylvania’s electric grid.
— Support infrastructure to effectively provide natural gas to businesses and homes.
— Ensure our transportation infrastructure is modern, reliable and efficient to transport energy- related commodities.
-- Workforce Development and Education: Prepare Pennsylvanians for High Quality Energy-Related Jobs
— Continue to support state, regional and educational initiatives that match energy industry needs with trained Pennsylvanians.
A copy of the State Energy Plan and a 2-page summary are available online. More information will be posted on the Governor’s Energy webpage.
Reaction
The Pennsylvania Coal Alliance enthusiastically endorsed Gov. Corbett's energy plan as a comprehensive approach that capitalizes on the state's resources and maximizes the economic benefits to all Pennsylvanians.
"An 'all-of-the-above' approach to energy makes enormous sense in building an energy portfolio," said Alliance CEO John Pippy. "The governor's plan recognizes the critical role coal plays, and will continue to play, in the generation of electricity.
"We applaud the governor for embracing this path toward energy security and economic prosperity. A balanced energy policy that promotes all the Commonwealth's indigenous resources, including coal, through market driven choices to satisfy demand, will assure that manufacturers, retailers and consumers continue to benefit from a reliable, affordable energy supply for years to come."