| For Immediate Release August 29, 2006 |
Contact: Communications Director Office of the Governor 603-271-2121 |
Governor Lynch: New Hampshire Must Act to Help Secure its Energy Future
Calls for 25 Percent Renewable Energy by 2025 Says Shift Would Increase New Hampshire's Economic Security, Spur Job Growth
"It's time to use our know-how and resources here in New Hampshire to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to build a stronger economy by leading the world in the creation of new, clean energy," Governor Lynch said.
"It is time for New Hampshire to act to help secure our energy future. That is why as a state we should set a goal of ensuring that at least 25 percent of New Hampshire's energy comes from renewable sources by 2025," Governor Lynch said.
Governor Lynch is joining governors of both parties and business leaders from across the nation in endorsing 25 x 25, a national effort aimed at producing 25 percent of the energy consumed in the United States comes from clean, renewable power by 2025.
"States are working to meet the goals in a number of different ways - from creating renewable portfolio standards to offering incentives to spur the construction of new renewable energy facilities. I have directed the Office of Energy and Planning to work the Department of Environmental Services on developing a plan for meeting this goal that will help ensure short- and long-term stability in energy prices," he said. " But I believe it is an achievable goal. Already 8 percent of the energy that goes into the grid that serves New England is from renewable sources. And 14 percent of the power that we generate here in New Hampshire is from renewable energy."
Governor Lynch announced his proposal at a Jobs Cabinet Roundtable with local business and community leaders in Laconia this morning. Governor Lynch has created a Jobs Cabinet to focus on developing practical solutions to issues that may challenge New Hampshire's future economic growth.
"In the Jobs Cabinet discussions I've had with businesses around the state, one of the most common concerns I hear is about the instability in energy costs. Fuel prices are at record levels, and they aren't predicted to being come down anytime soon," Governor Lynch said.
By increasing renewable energy sources, we can decrease our dependence on oil from unstable parts of the world, and make our nation and our economy more secure, Governor Lynch said. The shift could also spur the creation of new jobs and new industries in New Hampshire.
"Increasing renewable energy would take advantage of New Hampshire's ample wood supply, and encourage the responsible harvesting of lesser-grades woods - which will help preserve our forests from development," Governor Lynch said.
"Increasing our use of clean, renewable fuels can help create jobs in New Hampshire - in research and development fields, in the timber industries, and in building and operating new types of plants," Governor Lynch said, pointing to the Public Service Company of New Hampshire conversion of its coal-fired power plant in Newington to a wood-fired plant." Wood-fired plants are a natural choice for New Hampshire, but we also need to look at other forms of renewable energy - solar, wind and hydro," Governor Lynch said.
"All of these sources have great advantages for our state - providing competition to expensive oil and natural gas and adding much-needed diversity to our energy supplies. In addition, we can generate them right here in New Hampshire; they will create jobs in New Hampshire; and they do not produce emissions that ruin our environment and cost millions of dollars to control and reduce, and which hurt other sectors of our economy," Governor Lynch said.
Over time, cleaner, renewable energy sources also hold the possibility of stabilizing energy prices. Separate analyses by the Energy Information Administration and the Union of Concerned Scientists found that the country could generate 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 and reduce prices for electricity and natural gas customers.
Based on modeling conducted by Lawrence Livermore Labs, this goal, combined with similar efforts in our neighboring states, could save New England residents between $82 and $204 million on their energy bills between now and 2020.
In addition, an Energy Information Administration study found that increasing the use of clean, renewable energy could reduce by billions of dollars nationally the cost to consumers of meeting requirements to reduce pollution emissions from power plants.
Increasing the use of clean renewable energy is just one part of the solution, Governor Lynch said.
"I also working to make the state a leader in using energy more efficiently," Governor Lynch said. "I issued an executive order directing state agencies to work to reduce their energy use, by building more energy efficient buildings and buying more energy-efficient cars and appliances. We are exploring alternative fuels and recently the state opened its first biodiesel fueling station at UNH, which the Department of Transportation will share with the university and surrounding towns."