(AP Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

In the wake of the National Clean Energy Summit which was held in Washington, DC on Monday February 24, the Chicago Tribune has published an op-ed co-authored by T. Boone Pickens, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV) and president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, John Podesta (who is a former White House Chief of Staff).

The Op-Ed points to three principles of an energy plan:

  • Build a more reliable and efficient electrical transmission grid to meet the demand for clean, renewable electricity.
  • Develop “smart-grid” technologies that will save consumers money.
  • Reduce our foreign-oil dependency and develop a clean, alternative transportation fuel infrastructure.

    • The op-ed reminds readers:

    Reducing our transportation system’s dangerous overreliance on oil is imperative. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. oil use is for vehicles. In 2008, the U.S. imported nearly 70 percent of its oil, which cost $475 billion. Since 1974, every president has vowed to reduce dependency-and failed. Obama says he is committed to eliminating oil imports from the Middle East and Venezuela by 2018.

    The Energy Summit was hosted by Pickens, Podesta and Reid, but also featured remarks by former President Bill Clinton and former VP Al Gore as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Secretaries of Interior and Energy and Senator Byron Dorgan.

    Later in the day, Podesta and Pickens appeared together on Larry King Live to discuss the energy situation and Sen. Reid’s announcment that he would be introducing legislation this week to begin the process of building a 21st century transmission grid.

    To read the entire op-ed, click HERE.