A New Manhattan Project?
Robert McFarlane and George Philippidises’ recent op-ed “How Free Trade Can Help Solve the Energy Crisis” presents a compelling argument for ethanol’s ability to fill out America’s energy supply portfolio with a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel. We heartily embrace the support, and appreciate the honest and fact based promotion of ethanol and emerging cellulosic ethanol production technology.
In the article, the two point out that the mandate for renewable energy development is woefully underfunded. According to the piece:
“The U.S. should treat the commercialization of cellulosic technologies as a
matter of national security—a new Manhattan Project deserving all the necessary
resources to accelerate deployment.”
The unfortunate allusion to nuclear weapons aside, we couldn’t agree more!
In today’s dollars, the Manhattan Project received over $20 billion of public funding. When the public investment in biofuels reaches a fraction of that $20 billion, U.S. stakeholders will begin to see a similar payback in the form of renewable energy technology. In the long-term, such technology is the only way to secure a livable future.
