E-Mail Address: Password:
Forgot password? [login]
Home Articles Stocks Faq About Us Contact Us RSS Feeds February 9, 2010
SEARCH:
Energy Tribune Jobs
(click here)
Featured Stories
Guest Opinions
Americas
Europe
Russia
Middle East
China
Australasia
India
Africa
Nuclear
Commentary
Print Issues
China And The “Denier...
China’s Oil Imports C...
White House Needs New...
India and China Face ...
The Botched Airline B...
Corn and Coal: The Co...
Obama’s “Clean Energy...
Married to Mendacity:...
Bryce v. Pickens Toni...
Robert Bryce Talks Wi...
China And The “Denier...
Obama’s “Clean Energy...
Corn and Coal: The Co...
12 Facts about Global...
US Biodiesel: The Nev...
Posted on Jan. 12, 2009

Politics Tests Energy Goals

From The Wall Street Journal

Steven Chu, President-elect Barack Obama's pick to lead the Energy Department, got a taste last week of what life in Washington would be like.

Members of the Illinois congressional delegation met with the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Jan. 7 and pressured him to support renewed federal aid for a project in Mattoon, Ill., to build a virtually emissions-free, coal-fired power plant. The Bush administration cancelled funding for the project last year after budget overruns.

Mr. Obama is building a significant part of his economic-recovery plan on a bet that the U.S. can dramatically change the way it powers its economy. And Mr. Chu has called the expansion of conventional, coal-fired generating plants his worst nightmare, adding that he isn't sure that the technology in the Illinois project represents a solution to coal's impact on the environment.

But in last week's meeting he was noncommittal, assuring the delegation from his future boss's home state that he understood the importance of clean-coal research. "He kind of laughed and said one of the real challenges of this job is getting used to the people he's going to be working with in the government and the halls of Congress," said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin.

It's one example of the issues Mr. Chu, director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California, will face in seeking to reconcile the new administration's lofty promises with policy on the ground.

He is scheduled to be in Washington Tuesday for a Senate hearing likely to focus on his scientific credentials and his warnings about the consequences of climate change. After Mr. Chu's expected confirmation, he will confront the challenge of using the relatively narrow formal scope of his agency's mission and budget as a platform for changing the way Americans think about energy. Mr. Chu lamented in a speech in Washington last year that many Americans "would rather have a granite countertop" than spend extra on energy efficiency.

For all the enthusiasm that Mr. Chu's nomination has generated among environmentalists and scientists, the Energy Department has little formal power to affect the nation's energy choices. Most of the department's budget goes toward managing nuclear weapons and cleaning up former weapons labs. Its budget for research and development has plummeted since its peak of $6 billion in the Carter administration to $1.4 billion last year, according to a recent report by the Energy Security Leadership Council, a Washington-based group.

Some of that money is tied up on projects that critics say are technically or economically unfeasible, but that the agency is obligated to pay for because they have been added to legislation by members of Congress. An analysis last year by the American Association for the Advancement of Science referred to the Energy Department as one of the most heavily earmarked domestic U.S. research-and-development agencies.

The son of Chinese immigrants and a co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics for helping develop ways to trap atoms by herding and subduing them with laser beams, Mr. Chu has warned that climate change will have dire economic and social consequences. As director of the Lawrence Berkeley lab, he focused on developing advanced biofuels and energy-efficient technologies. He helped shepherd the creation of a new energy biosciences institute, funded by oil giant BP PLC, despite skepticism from some at the university who were wary of its corporate funding.

Click here to read more

Stumble It!
Back Home   Back to Top
Related Articles
Add a Comment:
You must be a member to post comments. Please click here to sign up  
 
Article Comments:
 Be the first to comment. 
 
  
 
Corn and Coal: The Cornerstones of Obama...
By Robert Bryce 
Feb. 5 2010, 5:47 EST
US Biodiesel: The Never-ending Subsidy S...
By Russ Finley  
Feb. 3 2010, 4:17 EST
China And The “Deniers”: Why Climate Cha...
By Michael Economides, ET editor in chief, and Xina Xie, ET China correspondent 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:41 EST
Obama’s “Clean Energy” Pandering: His St...
By Robert Bryce 
Jan. 29 2010, 4:10 EST
Married to Mendacity: Growth Energy Cont...
By Robert Bryce 
Jan. 27 2010, 4:27 EST
Chinese Coal Prices Soar, Power Producer...
By Xina Xie 
Jan. 25 2010, 11:43 EST
White House Needs New Look At Energy
By Michael J. Economides, Editor-in-Chief 
Jan. 22 2010, 12:49 EST
Bryce v. Pickens Tonight on Fox Business...
By Robert Bryce 
Jan. 21 2010, 2:36 EST
America’s Future Auto Fleet: Electric Ca...
By G. Allen Brooks 
Jan. 20 2010, 12:30 EST
2009 US Petroleum Trends
By Geoffrey Styles  
Jan. 19 2010, 12:50 EST
Robert Bryce Talks With Author Mark West...
By Robert Bryce 
Jan. 15 2010, 10:38 EST
China Pushes for Coal Gasification
By Xina Xie  
Jan. 14 2010, 12:01 EST
CLOSE
MORE
US Coal Industry Balks at Proposal for H...
By Steel Guru 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:59 EST
BP Shareholders Protest Canadian Oil San...
By Fred Pals 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:51 EST
US Seeks Access to Nuclear Program of Pa...
By The News 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:49 EST
Ukraine Says No Gas War with Russia
By RIA Novosti 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:45 EST
Iran Discovers New Oil, Gas Fields
By Tehran Times 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:25 EST
Arctic Sea Ice Vanishing Faster Than Mod...
By Bruce Owen 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:16 EST
Fear and Farce of Climate Change Science
By Eric Reguly  
Feb. 8 2010, 12:07 EST
Beyond the Black Stuff: Big Oil is Being...
The Economist 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:37 EST
Energy Flow, Emergent Complexity, and Co...
By George Mobus 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:27 EST
High Hopes for Clean Energy Jobs
By Rebecca Smith 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:22 EST
Improved Lithium Ion Batteries
By Adam Frucci 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:09 EST
Shell to Sell Oil Leases in Nigeria
By Elisha Bala Gbogbo 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:02 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Home Owners in Barnett Shale Lease Dilem...
By Jack Smith 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:19 EST
5 Dead in Gas Plant Explosion
By Michelle McLaughlin 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:10 EST
Gas Sites Spur Air Worries
By Ben Casselman 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:39 EST
Oil, Gas Output Rise in Colorado
By KRDO 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:20 EST
Comparison of US Plans to Cap Carbon
By Timothy Gardner 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:12 EST
Fed Doubts Energy States will Recover Fi...
By Stephen C. Fehr 
Feb. 5 2010, 10:50 EST
Congress Ups Debt Limit, Then Votes to C...
By David Lightman 
Feb. 5 2010, 10:41 EST
EPA’s New Biofuel Rules
By Geoffrey Styles 
Feb. 4 2010, 4:40 EST
Obama Touts His Alternative Fuels Plan
By John Broder 
Feb. 4 2010, 10:49 EST
Argentina Protests Over Oil Prospecting
By Sunday Morning Herald 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:25 EST
Oil and Trucking Industries Challenge Ca...
By Dale Kasler 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:12 EST
We Can’t Fight Two Wars at Once
By Alex Spillius 
Feb. 3 2010, 10:50 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Italy’s Nuclear Plans At Risk
By Israel Rafalovich, ET Roving European Correspondent 
Feb. 4 2010, 5:48 EST
U.K. Eyes Energy Reforms
By Selina Williams 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:19 EST
BP Profits Slide on US Refineries
By Robin Pagnamenta 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:03 EST
Jordan Wants Nuclear Power, Signs Agreem...
By Israel Rafalovich, ET Roving European Correspondent 
Feb. 2 2010, 1:15 EST
Demand for Natural Gas to Rise
By The Peninsula 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:27 EST
Gazprom to Extend Polish Contract on Eur...
By Tehran Times 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:56 EST
BP Chief Hails American Breakthrough in ...
By Terry Macalister  
Jan. 29 2010, 11:29 EST
Karzai: UK Troops Needed for 15 Years
By Ben Farmer 
Jan. 28 2010, 10:56 EST
Science Chief Calls for Honesty on Clima...
By Ben Webster 
Jan. 27 2010, 10:55 EST
European Offshore Wind Capacity up to 57...
By New Energy Focus 
Jan. 19 2010, 10:41 EST
Preserve Coal Plants to Keep Lights On
By Tim Webb 
Jan. 19 2010, 10:35 EST
France Cuts, Germany Debates Solar
By UPI 
Jan. 15 2010, 11:14 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Russia, Venezuela Step Up Oil Cooperatio...
By Mu Xuequan 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:28 EST
Belarus, Russia End Oil Supply Row
By Jacob Gronholt Pedersen 
Jan. 28 2010, 11:12 EST
Gazprom to Increase Gas Supplies to Euro...
By RIA Novosti 
Jan. 27 2010, 11:08 EST
BP Offers Technology, Expertise to Devel...
By RIA Novosti 
Jan. 22 2010, 2:06 EST
Poland to Deploy U.S. Missiles Near Russ...
By Judy Dempsey 
Jan. 22 2010, 12:46 EST
Ukraine Should Join Nord Stream Gas Proj...
By RIA Novosti 
Jan. 19 2010, 10:50 EST
U.S. Dethroning Russia as Gas King
By Anatoly Medetsky 
Jan. 14 2010, 10:57 EST
Turkey Approves Russian Gas Pipeline
By CCTV 
Jan. 14 2010, 10:53 EST
Turkmenistan Resumes Gas Supplies to Ru...
By China View 
Jan. 11 2010, 2:15 EST
Russia, Belarus End Oil Supply Talks Wit...
By China View 
Jan. 11 2010, 2:11 EST
Venezuela, Russia May Develop More Orino...
By Jose Orozco 
Jan. 4 2010, 10:46 EST
Russian Seaborne Crude Oil Exports Sched...
By Alexander Kwiatkowski 
Dec. 30 2009, 10:59 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Gas Transfer to Europe Key in Turkey, Ir...
By Today’s Zaman 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:55 EST
Iran, Pakistan to Ink Gas Deal in Turkey
By Tehran Times 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:42 EST
Iraqi Officials Lament Failure To Refine...
By Radio Free Europe 
Feb. 4 2010, 11:50 EST
Gas Transfer to Europe Key in Turkey, Ir...
By Today’s Zaman 
Feb. 4 2010, 11:44 EST
Afghan Fight is Coming
By Rod Nordland 
Feb. 4 2010, 11:18 EST
Oil Majors Move in on Iraq
By Oil Voice 
Feb. 4 2010, 11:12 EST
Dubai Discovers New Oil Field
By Adam Schreck 
Feb. 4 2010, 10:53 EST
Oil Demand Recovery Underway
By Trading Room 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:25 EST
Saudis Want Taliban to Expel Bin Laden
By Abdullah Al Shihri 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:01 EST
Iran Plans To End Energy Subsidies
By Andres Cala, European correspondent 
Feb. 1 2010, 12:36 EST
Bulgaria and Turkey Agree on Natural Gas...
By Reuters 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:54 EST
Lukoil to Develop Iraq Supergiant Oil Fi...
By Peoples Daily 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:44 EST
CLOSE
MORE
China may Renew Record for Crude Oil Imp...
By China Post 
Feb. 5 2010, 10:57 EST
China’s Oil Giants to Develop Iraq Oil F...
By People’s Daily 
Jan. 28 2010, 11:21 EST
As China Rises, Conflict With West Rises...
By Katrin Benhold 
Jan. 27 2010, 10:31 EST
China’s Oil Imports Continued Upward Cli...
Michael J. Economides, editor-in-chief, and Xina Xie, China editor 
Jan. 26 2010, 10:41 EST
Sino-Kazak Pipeline Transports 20 mln to...
By Istock Analyst 
Jan. 25 2010, 11:14 EST
China’s Economy is Soaring
By Zhou Xin and Chris Buckley 
Jan. 21 2010, 10:53 EST
China’s US Purchases Up 300% in 2009
By Vincent Fernando 
Jan. 19 2010, 10:16 EST
China Completes 1st Phase of Oil Reserve...
By China Daily 
Jan. 18 2010, 10:57 EST
China Will Drive Future Car Demand
By NPR 
Jan. 12 2010, 10:21 EST
Cold Snap Triggers Power Shortage in Chi...
By AFP 
Jan. 11 2010, 2:36 EST
Oil Falls on Concern Investment May Slow...
By Ann Koh 
Jan. 8 2010, 11:33 EST
Cold Snap Spurs Power Rationing in China
By Chris Buckley 
Jan. 6 2010, 3:47 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Chevron Finds Natural Gas Off Australia
By Anna Driver 
Jan. 27 2010, 11:11 EST
Another Gorgon Deal to Supply LNG
By ABC News 
Jan. 8 2010, 11:42 EST
Australian $90 Billion Gas Megadeal with...
By Felicity Williams 
Jan. 7 2010, 2:22 EST
Chevron Finds More Gas Off Western Austr...
By The Sunday Morning Herald 
Dec. 15 2009, 10:32 EST
New Zealand on Verge of Oil Boom
By Oil Voice 
Nov. 24 2009, 4:01 EST
Apache, Kuwait Join Chevron In Wheatston...
By Angel Gonzalez 
Oct. 23 2009, 11:45 EST
Chevron Pushes Forward On Gorgon
By Geoffrey Styles  
Sep. 21 2009, 10:08 EST
The Ghost Fleet of the Recession
By Simon Parry 
Sep. 14 2009, 11:52 EST
Australian Parliament Rejects Carbon Tra...
By Reuters Staff 
Aug. 13 2009, 10:43 EST
North Korea ''Test Fires Missiles''
By BBC Staff 
Jul. 2 2009, 11:14 EST
North Koreans Condemn U.S. and Sanctions...
By CHOE SANG-HUN 
Jun. 26 2009, 12:36 EST
Wind Turbines Killing Sleep Deprived Goa...
By Telegraph Staff 
May. 22 2009, 11:08 EST
CLOSE
MORE
India Suggests Deregulating Gasoline, Di...
By Sunil Raghu 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:23 EST
African Oil Fields on India Radar
By The Financial Express 
Dec. 9 2009, 4:35 EST
Bangladesh to Revive Debate Over Myanmar...
By Pipelines International 
Nov. 13 2009, 11:46 EST
RIL Discovers Oil in Cambay Basin
By Business Standard 
Nov. 10 2009, 2:38 EST
India, Scotland Join Hands On Renewable ...
By EE Times India 
Oct. 16 2009, 11:48 EST
Indian Subcontinent Weighs Nuclear
By Priyanka Bhardwaj and Michael J. Economides 
Oct. 8 2009, 11:59 EST
Cameco Upbeat on Canada-India Nuclear De...
By Cameron French 
Oct. 2 2009, 12:13 EST
Reliance Natural Seeks Dismissal of Gove...
By P.S. Patnaik and Gaurav Singh 
Sep. 18 2009, 11:05 EST
Tangguh Plant To Ship Less LNG
By The Jarkata Post 
Sep. 4 2009, 12:05 EST
Repsol Natural Gas Lot Production To Sta...
By Reuters 
Aug. 28 2009, 11:52 EST
India’s Coal Needs Fuel Overseas Push
By Priyanka Bhardwaj 
May. 28 2009, 4:25 EST
India Chooses Coal, Not Kyoto
By Priyanka Bhardwaj and Robert Bryce 
May. 11 2009, 12:39 EST
CLOSE
MORE
India Draws Strategy in African Oil Asse...
By The Hindu 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:40 EST
Nigerian Militants Claim Attack on Pipel...
By Seattle Times 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:13 EST
Angola Oil Pipeline Attacked, by Swordfi...
By Matthew Clark 
Feb. 4 2010, 12:29 EST
Nigeria’s Oil Pipeline Sabotaged
By BBC 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:05 EST
Nigerian Militants Call off Oil Truce
By Scott Baldauf 
Feb. 1 2010, 11:02 EST
Nigeria, UAE Supplies put OPEC Crude Pro...
By Iheanyi Nwachukwu  
Jan. 27 2010, 11:05 EST
Nigeria Hopes to Fulfill Oil Contracts S...
By Reuters 
Jan. 26 2010, 12:05 EST
Uganda to Block British Oil Bid
By AFP 
Jan. 22 2010, 2:00 EST
Two Million Nigerian Vehicles to Run on ...
By Guardian Newspapers 
Jan. 20 2010, 11:36 EST
Pirates Free Oil Tanker After Record Ran...
By Abdi Guled and Abdi Sheikh 
Jan. 19 2010, 10:14 EST
Dana Gas Finds Oil in Egypt
By Ed Attwood 
Jan. 12 2010, 10:45 EST
Sudan Seeks to Buy Natural Gas from Egyp...
By Sudan Tribune 
Jan. 11 2010, 2:27 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Iran Plans 10 New Enrichment Plants
By Washington Post 
Feb. 8 2010, 12:02 EST
Obama’s Nuclear Power Policy
By Mark Clayton 
Feb. 5 2010, 11:16 EST
Iran Accepts West’s Nuclear Deal
By BBC 
Feb. 3 2010, 11:09 EST
Iran Urges Islamic States to Possess Nuc...
By People’s Daily 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:44 EST
US, Russia Near Deal on Nuclear Weapons
By Jonathan S. Landay 
Feb. 2 2010, 11:06 EST
Italy Seeks Arab Role on Nuclear Row
By The International News 
Jan. 26 2010, 12:21 EST
Russia Warns Against Rushing to Iran San...
By Reuters 
Jan. 22 2010, 12:27 EST
U.S., Russia Never so Close on Iran Nucl...
By Mu Xuequan 
Jan. 21 2010, 11:20 EST
India, Hungary Hold Talks on Civil Nucle...
By Sachin Parashar 
Jan. 20 2010, 11:44 EST
Iran Rejects Nuclear Fuel Deal
By BBC 
Jan. 20 2010, 11:09 EST
German Minister Tough in Nuclear Talks
By Reuters 
Jan. 18 2010, 11:26 EST
Ahmadinejad Hails Iran’s Nuclear Progres...
By RIA Novosti 
Jan. 15 2010, 11:24 EST
CLOSE
MORE
Dow Jones -103.84 -1.04 9,908.39
S&P 500 -9.45 -0.89 1,056.74
NASDAQ -14.85 -0.69 2,126.27
As of 02/08/2010 04:00 PM  
Energy Tribune -0.23 -0.24 98.75
Integrated -2.31 -1.63 139.32
Operations -0.26 -0.22 117.95
Services & Equipment -1.93 -1.08 177.01
Coal -9.67 -2.87 327.57
As of 02/08/2010 04:00 PM  
WH Clean Energy -0.68 -1.61 41.22
WH Progressive Energy -0.38 -0.55 69.13
As of 02/08/2010 04:00 PM  
Bid to Develop Oil Sector in Libya G...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:05 EST
[Read More]
Japanese firm to delay start of Egyp...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:04 EST
[Read More]
Wintry Weather Drives Energy Prices ...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:04 EST
[Read More]
Arab states may become solar energy ...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:02 EST
[Read More]
US average gasoline price in four we...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:01 EST
[Read More]
Indonesia considering slowdown in co...
Feb. 8 2010, 1:00 EST
[Read More]
China to increase LNG import
Feb. 8 2010, 12:43 EST
[Read More]
Cnooc Falls After Report of Possible...
Feb. 8 2010, 12:22 EST
[Read More]
Climategate Scientist Considered Sui...
Feb. 8 2010, 12:14 EST
[Read More]
[ click here ]
Home | Subscribe | Articles | Commentary | Stocks | Faq | About Us | Contact Us | Subscribers Only | RSS | All News
Advertise With Us