The Fight Is Never Over

Biofuels are definitely part of the renewables portfolio. There's growing interest in the agricultural sector, because that way we could have home-grown fuels. And it's not just corn: there's a lot of exploration going on as to what is the right crop mix. Right now we're looking at biofuels that use the entire plant, as opposed to just taking corn off the stalk.

Of course, the way we use the energy also matters, regardless of how it was produced.

You know, it's interesting. California has the most efficient per capita use of electricity in the country, because after their energy crisis three years ago they made very large investments in efficiency and conservation. It's really paid off, and we think that's a good model to take to other states.

What might that entail?

We're looking at green buildings--30 percent of energy use in the country is embedded in buildings, so how they're built is a major factor in what our energy demand and use is. We're also looking for more efficient cars, more efficient appliances. The quickest savings and benefits come from using more efficiently the power you're already generating.

Other than energy, carbon and global warming, what are your top priorities at this point?