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by M. Scott Carter
The Journal Record

OKLAHOMA CITY - Energy conversation is cheaper and less risky than developing new forms of alternative fuels, the director of the Vermont Regulatory Assistance Project said Wednesday.

Speaking to a group of several hundred at the Oklahoma Wind Energy Conference in Oklahoma City, Richard Sedano, a member of the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership's board of directors, said the country should develop policies that encourage conservation while it seeks to develop new sources of energy.

Sedano spoke during the opening session of the conference, which lasts through today.

"By 2030, energy conservation will present many, many options to address our nation's carbon goals," he said. "And that cost of conservation is only about 3 cents per kilowatt hour."

An advocate for wind-generated electricity, Sedano predicted that wind power will become a national power interest.

"That focus will help us move to a 20-percent wind power goal," he said.

But while Sedano advocated the use of wind, he said residents in the northeastern part of the United States were becoming concerned by the development of the infrastructure to bring that power to their homes.

"In the northeastern part of the country, they are worried," he said. "They are concerned that these big, new transmission lines would be a stalking horse for more coal-powered plants."

Instead, he said, the development of more offshore wind-powered generators would make wind generation efforts in Oklahoma and Texas more successful.

"Right now, we're all stumbling around in the dark," he said. "But offshore wind power or wind-generated power from Canada could work just fine for the northeastern part of the United States."
Sedano also cautioned state policy leaders to work together now to develop new interstate compacts.

"Look to the Congress to attempt to preempt the states," he said. "Many states are, right now, moving to make new agreements."

Alternative energy like wind, he said, is in the nation's interest and will remain a big issue.