The election may be over, but Congressman Charlie Dent is wasting no time demonstrating his commitment to alternative energy.He has promoted plug-in hybrids, telling me "We have a lithium ion battery sitting over here at International Battery - I've been in there. They've designed a battery that can take a charge for 250 miles."
Today, Dent will join International Battery Inc. to announce a multi-million dollar contract with the Defense Department to demonstrate the improved efficiency and environmental advantages of lithium batteries vs. traditional lead batteries in military use.
9 comments:
So Bernie, Where is Sam the Scam, now?
Wonder what is she planning to run for next.
She is well on her way to becoming the Harold Stassen (or Pat Paulson)of the Lehigh Valley. Am I aging myself with those references?
Well, good riddance. Hope we don't have deal with her public therapy sessions any more after this latest fiasco.
This is why I admire Dent so much. Six days after the election, he is involved in a program that will certainly aid in the developmenmt of plug-in hybrids.
He's a good man trying to serve his constituents, and the voters know it.
Glad to see that Congressman Dent is pursuing this but that is only part of the equation. The other part is addressing how the electricity required to power the plug-ins will be generated. Currently approximately 70% of our electricity comes from fossil fuel sources with coal alone responsible for 50%. If we are serious about reducing the amount of fossil fuels used in general and for transportation in particular then we'll have to come to grips with the fact that we will need more nuclear. Even with a dramatic increase in generation from solar and wind we will not have anywhere near enough power in the places where it will be needed.
Agreed. We have to go after all sources to limit dependence on foreign sources.
Doesn't this go against his support for Air Products and the hydrogen powered cars?
Not at all. Dent's approach to our energy crisis is actually quite similar to what I used to hear at Lehigh Valley Beyond Oil. Like them, Dent believes there is no silver bullet and that we need to explore, and use, all available forms of energy while simulataneously working on alternatives. He even spoke to me of cars that could be powered by natural gas. His view about energy can be summed up in one word - diversification. If a hydrogen fuel cell ends up being wrong for cars, there will certasinly be another use elsewhere. A Li battery that can hold a charge for 250 miles might work with both electricity and H2. There are diverse possibilities.
Dent is, let me remind you, a "drill, baby drill" guy of the first order. the fact that he can overcome the apparent cognitive dissonance of his support for hybrids shows his unique talents as a public leader (servant)
Dent supports a diversified approach to our energy needs, which really reduces our dependence on foreign oil. Come to think of it, so does drilling. I know few Americans who don't understand this. There is no difference right now between Obama and Dent on energy. They both favor pracitcal approaches over ideological argument.
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