U.S. report outlines approach to clean energy economy

Aug. 31, 2011 - George Bao - news.xinhuanet.com

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A new report released this week calls for clean energy economy since energy choices in 11 western states in the United States in the next 20 to 40 years will impact human health and business wealth.

The report, "Western Grid 2050: Contrasting Futures, Contrasting Fortunes," was released by Western Grid Group before the fourth annual National Clean Energy Summit was held in Las Vegas Tuesday.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said at the summit that the United States was at a crossroads for clean energy.

"Our nation has a simple choice, a choice about what country we are going to be. A country that rises to the occasion, overcomes the odds, and leads the world, or are we going to be a follower nation?" he said.

The 165-page report addressed the choices for future energy and suggest a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario will evolve with higher electricity bills and fouled air and water, while a clean energy vision (CEV) approach will result in the kind of environmental and economic future people and companies actually want.

The western United States is at a crossroads, said the report. Wise electricity sector investment choices will lay the foundation for a robust, competitive and healthy U.S. West for generations to come, but unwise choices will leave western businesses at a competitive disadvantage in the global marketplace, consumers with higher electricity bills and people of all walks of life with an unhealthy environment.