Bush's Stealth Manhattan Project for Energy

Anyone who says we need a “Manhattan Project” for energy doesn’t realize that we already have one. The Bush Administration has accomplished more than any other administration regarding alternative energy. This is in sharp contrast to the Democrats who would have you believe all Bush and Cheney care about is enriching the oil companies. The facts say otherwise.

Under the direction of the Bush White House vast amount of research and work that is going on across both renewable and traditional fronts including solar, clean coal, hydrogen fuel production and fuel cells, cellulose ethanol, wind, battery technologies and many other topics. A few facts:

1. The Department of Energy ('DOE') is the largest supporter in the U.S. of basic research in the physical sciences. The DOE provides more than 40% of the total funding for physics, chemistry, materials science and other physical sciences.
2. There are 17 national laboratories under the jurisdiction of the DOE performing both theoretical and practical research.
3. The DOE funds more than 7,000 individual research projects at universities, national laboratories, U.S. industry and the non-profit sector.
4. The DOE estimates that with focused government coordination and assistance solar might provide 21% of electricity generation by 2030 (1% is the pessimistic case). This includes utility use of advanced concentrator technologies.
5. A recent study published by the DOE estimates that as much as 20% of the country's electricity could come from wind energy.

I think the estimates for solar and wind are very optimistic. Government, and government trying to direct industry, just does not work that efficiently. Solar in particular is a long way from being at grid parity regarding cost. Nevertheless the the amount of basic research and strategic coordination is impressive.

For all the oratory from the Democrats about a Manhattan Project for energy, I have yet to hear a specific proposal regarding research or other action that the Bush Administration is not already doing. The next time Obama or another liberal politician says we need a Manhattan Project for energy, realize that we essentially already have one. Ask for specifics.

Maybe the White House should take a page out of the Big Oil's playbook. Hardly a day goes by without seeing a new TV commercial by the oil companies touting their green research on alternative fuels. Meanwhile, the administration quietly proceeds while getting no credit for leading a massive effort to develop all these technologies.