COPENHAGEN — In remarks prepared for delivery today at the Danish Climate Consortium in Copenhagen, Growth Energy Co-Chairman (Ret.) Gen. Wesley Clark warned that continuing dependence on petroleum for automotive fuel is not only a carbon risk, but is a security risk for both developed and developing nations.
Gen. Clark delivered a keynote address focused on “Global Energy Security in a Climate Affected World,” during an official event organized by Novozymes, a Denmark-based company that is a member of Growth Energy. Jeff Broin, CEO of POET and Growth Energy’s other Co-Chairman, also spoke at the Novozymes event, during a roundtable discussion.
“Ethanol is a low-carbon fuel – as much as 59 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of gasoline. The most advanced technology, with closed loop biorefineries, offers us even cleaner alternatives, as much as 67 percent fewer GHGs compared to gasoline. With cellulosic ethanol, we could produce 86 percent fewer,” Gen. Clark said in his remarks.
Continuing dependence on imported petroleum is a dangerous course, Gen. Clark said.
“We suffer the inefficiencies of cartel pricing and oil shocks… Then there is the military cost to ensure steady access to foreign oil from parts of the world that are volatile, or outright hostile to Western values and policies.Taxpayers fund the defense of oil shipping routes with an estimated annual cost of more than $50 billion,” Gen. Clark said.
He also cited a January 2008 study by the Center for Forensic Economic Studies estimated this “import premium” at an additional $24 in cost to consumers for every barrel of imported oil.
“What does ethanol offer us to solve this dilemma? The domestic production of nearly 6.5 billion gallons of ethanol in the United States in 2007 eliminated the need to import at least 228.2 million barrels of oil for gasoline,” Gen. Clark said.
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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy is a group committed to the promise of agriculture and growing America’s economy through cleaner, greener energy. Growth Energy members recognize America needs a new ethanol approach. Through smart policy reform and a proactive grassroots campaign, Growth energy promotes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the use of ethanol in gasoline, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil, and creating American jobs at home. More information can be found at GrowthEnergy.org.