Published: August 19, 2008 10:20 pm         

W.Va. could be world leader in energy, governor says

Blueprint for state energy strategy offered at forum

CHARLESTON — West Virginia has the opportunity to become a worldwide leader in energy production and technology, according to Gov. Joe Manchin.

“The opportunity and desire are here for West Virginia to lead in the development of coal technologies, mining safety and environmental stewardship as well as continuing to be a leader in the production of coal,” Manchin said during Tuesday’s Coal Forum.

“Why shouldn’t our universities be the research engines? If we do it right, West Virginia will be a world leader in energy.”

Manchin was one of many speakers to discuss and debate the state’s energy future.

“Our nation must declare energy independence from foreign oil,” Manchin said. “I believe by 2030 that West Virginia can be totally energy independent.”

Steve Walker of Walker Machinery said energy is on the minds of all Americans.

“The current energy crisis is affecting all Americans and our energy policy in this nation right now is no policy,” he said. “It’s eaten up with politics, and, in my opinion, it’s not good for West Virginia or the citizens of this country.”

Coal makes up about 50 percent of the nation’s mass electric generation, and that percentage is expected to increase to 58 percent in the next 10 years if nothing is done, according to the governor.

“A national policy that put 100 percent into renewable sources of energy and nothing into its main base, which is coal, is not a realistic way to solve the nation and world’s energy crisis,” Manchin said.

In addition to Manchin, Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito also offered remarks to those attending the forum.

“Congress is a huge obstruction in the national energy portfolio and I’m working hard to remove that obstruction,” Capito said.

Marshall University and the West Virginia Coal Forum sponsored the meeting at which recommendations on the state’s energy future were unveiled.

“The purpose of the event is to expose civic, legislative and opinion leaders in the state to Imagine West Virginia’s policy recommendations and to facilitate discussion on coal’s role in our state and nation’s energy strategy,” said Chris Hamilton, co-chairman of the West Virginia Coal Forum.

The report offered an ambitious set of 10 recommendations ranging from increasing the amount of coal industry-related classes in schools to more money for research. Beyond that, the report offered little in the way of specifics.

Rick Remish, executive director of Imagine West Virginia, said the costs associated with the report’s recommendations will be estimated by a recently formed task force charged with following through on the goals.

“I don’t have an exact dollar figure, but that is obviously a critical question,” Remish said.

One more detailed recommendation by the group suggests redirection of federal research dollars. More than 80 percent of federal funding for coal research has gone toward “downstream” matters like carbon sequestration, while .2 percent of the funding has gone to mining research and 1.8 percent has gone to environmental reclamation.

The report — and speakers including Manchin and Capito — argues that such research is needed because coal will remain the major component of American energy for the foreseeable future.

Not everyone at the conference believes the future is so bright.

Allan Tweddle, a member of the state Public Energy Authority, said the report should have taken more account of external economic pressures, such as countries like Canada and Germany moving away from coal use.

Tweddle said the medium-range economic picture for coal is complicated, citing estimates that so-called clean coal technology may cause the price of coal to rise.

“The cost of wind power and solar power is coming down, constantly,” he said.

Imagine West Virginia is affiliated with the statewide nonprofit group Vision Shared.

Hamilton says the recommendations focus on what it will take to make West Virginia a global leader in technologically advanced, environmentally responsible coal production.

“The recommendations are a thoughtful blueprint for West Virginia to follow in developing our own energy strategies,” he said.

Remish said Imagine West Virginia believes that during the time it will take the world to develop and fully deploy renewable energy sources, coal will continue to be a major source of energy both in the U.S. and internationally.

“Advanced research and development aimed at producing environmentally acceptable, safer and more efficient mining and uses of coal must be accelerated,” he said. “This achievement would bring significant economic, societal and environmental benefits to the state and the nation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.