The Fight Is Never Over

Solar, wind and hydropower, to some degree. Europe, especially Northern Europe, has made a major commitment to wind power, and they're generating a significant percentage of their power that way. Overall in the United States, the amount of power we generate from renewables is still less than 1 percent, so we think that there's a tremendous potential for growth in these areas.

You didn't mention nuclear. There have been calls by some in the environmental movement to rethink opposition to nuclear power, in light of the greater threat posed by greenhouse gases. Do you agree?

We've looked at nuclear, but we continue to think it has serious problems. One is economic. If nuclear power could compete in the marketplace without major subsidies from Congress, it would be an interesting thing to look at. But that's not what the industry is proposing. And the waste problem is not solved. We haven't figured out what to do with the waste. Until they do that and can compete economically, we don't think it's a major part of the equation.

But you're not suggesting that we hold, say, solar power to the same standard of competing economically without subsidies, are you?

Solar power is a new source. We think subsidies or assistance from the federal government should go to the new technologies that need to come to the market. Nuclear has been around for a long time. When you and I were in college, it was going to be the key to the future, but it hasn't turned out that way.

Another fuel of the future that's taken a while to catch on: biofuels. Am I ever going to be able to fill up my gas guzzler with corn juice?