Energy Insider: Climate Change & Power Companies on KFYR-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Energy Insider: Climate Change & Power Companies |

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11/6/2009

The Basin Electric Cooperative is open to change.

The wind turbines going up near Max are just one example of its new focus on green energy.

"We started our foray into renewables back in 2001 and we see no reason to step aside with that plan right now," Basin Electric CEO Ron Harper said

But Basin Electric and the rest of North Dakota`s energy producers still rely mainly on traditional resources like coal and natural gas.

These forms of energy produce large amounts of green house gases.

"We think it is appropriate to diversify our portfolio," Harper said, "but it does take all forms of energy to meet the needs of this United States."

And the CEO of the cooperative says being forced into reducing emissions through a cap and trade law will hurt North Dakota consumers.

"In 2012 that $20 per ton tax - our membership will have to pay $497 million additional in that one year," Harper said.

John Doggert, the keynote speaker at this week`s Basin Electric meeting says pushing that extra cost onto the energy industry does not make sense in the current global economy.

"This cap and trade tax system only works if everybody does it," Doggert said. "And the Chinese and Indians have said they`re not going to do it at least for ten years."

Utility companies, the University of Texas lecturer says, will need to produce even more energy in the coming years.

He says now is the time to encourage alternative energy even beyond current technology like wind turbines through research grants.

"We`re going to face competition from them," Doggert said. "Not only in terms of traditional energy. But also alternative energy."

He says utilities need help keeping up instead of extra hurdles.

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