As a board member of Wolverine Power Cooperative and Spartan Renewable Energy, Jack Pope was well qualified to school us on energy issues in our state and beyond.
 
After underscoring the measures our District Governor mentioned to reduce our personal energy costs, Jack reminded us that energy has two commercial uses--transportation and electricity. The fuel source for transporatation is oil, and more efficient cars are being driven fewer miles. In addition, T. Boone Pickens continues to urge that big trucks convert from diesel fuel to natural gas, which is being found in greater quantities in the U.S. Thus, the demand for oil in this country is falling, leading some to say that the U.S. could become a net exporter of oil.
 
But this would not solve our problems with respect to electricity. Distribution is being efficiently handled within Michigan, but issues remain as to generation and transmission. Michigan gets some 60% of its electricity-producing fuel from coal--not everyone's favorite fuel. There are steps that Michigan utilities could take to eliminate toxins and pollutants caused by old coal-burning plants, but this would still leave issues as to the elimination of green house gases for which no solution has been developed.
 
There are improvements in transmission of electricity into Michigan that could be made with the cooperation of competing utilities. Changes in Michigan's Public Act 295 regarding energy optimization to permit utilities to count renewables from other states also would make sense.