Where Does Mitt Sit? A Look at a Romney Administration and Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …The Romney platform is remarkable, vis-a-vis biofuels, for ignoring the word altogether – so we are left to guess as to an incoming Administration’s attitude towards nearly 10 percent of the US energy supply.
Generally, as you might expect, it would be an Administration focused less on an “all of the above” energy strategy as an “all of the below” energy strategy, that is, oil and gas.
…“America must become energy independent… We’re in a very vulnerable position. Our economic and military strength require us to become energy independent. I’m not just talking about symbolic measures. I mean that we must finally take the actual steps that will produce as much energy as we use…We’ll end our strategic vulnerability to an oil shutoff by nations like Iran and Russia and Venezuela. And we’ll stop spending or sending a billion dollars a day to other nations, some of whom are using that very money against us…”
…From the Romney platform: “Government has a role to play in innovation in the energy industry. History shows that the United States has moved forward in astonishing ways thanks to national investment in basic research and advanced technology…Concentrate alternative energy funding on basic research. Utilize long-term, apolitical funding mechanisms like ARPA-E for basic research.”
…What’s the uncertainty? Well, comes down to what we define as basic research. As commonly understood, that means no applied research – and anything TRL 1 or higher is applied R&D, not basic. So, we’re going to conclude that the focus will be on cutting out late-stage applied R&D and assistance across the Valley of Death, rather than a cut in all applied R&D. READ MORE and MORE (Ethanol Producer Magazine)
