House Committee Focuses on Renewable Energy

Washington, D.C., October 30, 2007—This afternoon a subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee will hear testimony on "renewable energy and the global environment." While most of the witnesses will likely voice support for expanding renewable energy projects at home and abroad, members of the committee should keep in mind the inherent limitations of current alternative sources.

"Overselling the potential of renewable energy sources to provide affordable energy does a disservice to people in poor and developing countries," said Competitive Enterprise Institute Director of Energy & Global Warming Policy Myron Ebell. "Renewables have their place, but it is currently a small one. Countries that are energy poor are not going to be able to provide electricity to the hundreds of millions of people who don’t yet have electricity by using the most expensive energy sources, such as wind and solar power."

While some advocates of alternative energy sources have argued that the threat from global warming makes their use a necessity, limiting fossil fuel use will likely pose an even bigger threat. Whatever risks future climate change may bring, societies with greater access to affordable energy will be far better placed to respond. Campaigning for more expensive, less reliable energy sources will leave people more vulnerable to potential weather-related threats in the future.

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