August 08, 2008: 03:32 PM EST
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Gov. Joe Manchin said Friday that he plans to push renewable energy projects ranging from hydroelectric dams to solar power in coal-rich West Virginia.
Adding renewable energy will protect West Virginia from criticism as it pushes coal as key to giving the country greater energy independence, Manchin said during a speech at a Southern States Energy Board meeting. The board is meeting a day ahead of the Southern Governors Association, which also plans to focus on energy this weekend.
"I'm going to push that envelope," Manchin said, noting that renewable energy will be the centerpiece of his next state of the state speech.
But Manchin isn't after converting West Virginia from the nation's second-largest coal producer and a major electricity exporter. Using wind, biomass, even waste to generate electricity still leaves West Virginia 75 percent or more short of meeting its needs, he said.
Instead, the governor wants greater credibility to push for making gasoline and other products from coal, an idea he says is open to criticism so long as West Virginia relies almost solely on coal for energy. "There's no way that they can discredit what we're trying to say."
Manchin said freeing the nation from foreign energy is vital or the United States risks losing its status as a superpower and will continue to fall behind the world in terms of education.
"Our education system is falling behind," Manchin said. "We can't even compete on any category on an international basis."
Manchin linked that directly to sending money overseas to pay for energy. "The economists will tell you there has never been a transfer of wealth on the scale that's going on now," he said.
Manchin noted West Virginia is trying to be a leader by forging ahead with clean-coal projects. The state Public Service Commission has approved a $2.23 billion clean-coal plant proposed by American Electric Power and supporting an $800 million coal-to-liquids plant capable of producing methanol and gasoline proposed by Pittsburgh-based Consol Energy and Houston-based Synthesis Energy Systems.
"Everyone's talking about things. No one's doing anything," Manchin said. "I'm going to permit everything I can get permitted ... because I know this state and the nation needs it."
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