2008 Woodie Awards
Energy expert says RI should focus on current energy source efficiency
Chris Curtis
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Campus
04/03/08 - John Farley doesn't want you to get the wrong idea about energy in Rhode Island.
Farley, who spoke yesterday at the University of Rhode Island's Coastal Institute, is executive director of The Energy Council of Rhode Island, or TEC-RI, a private nonprofit consortium of businesses and manufacturers. According to its Web site, the organization's goal is to achieve greater efficiency and lower energy costs in Rhode Island.
The lecture was the third installment in the university's Energy Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the URI Partnership for Energy.
Titled "The role of Energy in the Rhode Island Economy: Blessing or Curse," yesterday's lecture looked at the state's energy issues and potential for economic development.
Farley described the state economy as anemic, too weak to support a normal level of state spending on the private sector, "so helping out our economy by creating more private sector jobs ought to be the number one budget strategy in our state."
Farley said he is concerned that many Rhode Islanders may misunderstand the realities of energy production and consumption in the state.
In a top 10 list of common misconceptions about energy issues in Rhode Island, Farley disputed the economic practicality of wind and solar power. The state is not naturally or geographically suited for either, he said. He described the idea of the wind power industry bringing jobs to Rhode Island as "energy policy by wishful thinking and not fact," backing up the statement by citing incidents of Rhode Island wind energy companies outsourcing manufacturing jobs to Iowa and Mexico.
Farley said he believes that the state should concentrate on investing in increasing the efficiency of currently available energy, rather than in developing renewable alternatives. The energy available should be seen as a blessing, Farley said.
"How much fun would it be to schedule a surgery in a hospital that loses power whenever the wind dies down?" he said.
Farley, who spoke yesterday at the University of Rhode Island's Coastal Institute, is executive director of The Energy Council of Rhode Island, or TEC-RI, a private nonprofit consortium of businesses and manufacturers. According to its Web site, the organization's goal is to achieve greater efficiency and lower energy costs in Rhode Island.
The lecture was the third installment in the university's Energy Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the URI Partnership for Energy.
Titled "The role of Energy in the Rhode Island Economy: Blessing or Curse," yesterday's lecture looked at the state's energy issues and potential for economic development.
Farley described the state economy as anemic, too weak to support a normal level of state spending on the private sector, "so helping out our economy by creating more private sector jobs ought to be the number one budget strategy in our state."
Farley said he is concerned that many Rhode Islanders may misunderstand the realities of energy production and consumption in the state.
In a top 10 list of common misconceptions about energy issues in Rhode Island, Farley disputed the economic practicality of wind and solar power. The state is not naturally or geographically suited for either, he said. He described the idea of the wind power industry bringing jobs to Rhode Island as "energy policy by wishful thinking and not fact," backing up the statement by citing incidents of Rhode Island wind energy companies outsourcing manufacturing jobs to Iowa and Mexico.
Farley said he believes that the state should concentrate on investing in increasing the efficiency of currently available energy, rather than in developing renewable alternatives. The energy available should be seen as a blessing, Farley said.
"How much fun would it be to schedule a surgery in a hospital that loses power whenever the wind dies down?" he said.