Senator Reid (D-NV), after cheerleading for the renewable energy progress and potential in his home state, called for a number of legislative measures to promote renewable energy.

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) opened the Renewable Energy World conference with a call for changes in energy policy.

"We must pass a national renewable electricity standard, a minimum requirement of renewable fuels as a percentage of all energy consumption," Reid said. "The national renewable standard would encourage utilities to make real national investments in this new market opportunity."

On energy matters, Nevada's Senators do not see eye to eye. Senator John Ensign (R) vocally opposed the Senate energy bill last summer. He said that the proposals to support renewable energy "missed the mark" by not instead promoting more domestic oil production.

Both Senators said they supported a national renewable portfolio standard, which was nonetheless stripped from the bill before it passed. Nevada is one of the states that have an RPS.

Reid has long supported "clean coal" initiatives in Congress, but had nothing good to say about it before this crowd of clean energy enthusiasts.

"Is today or tomorrow the time to invest in new coal for electricity plants? The answer is a resounding No," Reid said. "We've all seen the ads for a mythological substance called clean coal. There's no such thing. There's no clean coal, only less dirty coal."

The Renewable Energy World conference showed signs of maturity in this its fifth year.

A national RPS, Reid said, will someday be a reality. He called on the conference attendees to exchange ideas and find solutions together.

"This conference is important to recognize the fiscal and moral imperatives that lie ahead. Through the exchange of ideas comes innovation and progress. The problems are many, but the solutions and ideas coming from meetings like this are extremely impressive."

More Renewable Energy World 2008 articles:

"Renewable Energy World Conference Is Changing with the Industry" - article includes more links to coverage of the 2008 conference

Not surprisingly, Reid spoke in favor of green energy purchase programs, net metering, and a uniform interconnect standard, all long-time issues for the renewable energy industry. He then proposed the use of federal land to produce clean energy.

"The government should commit to setting aside significant tracts of federal land that are environmentally appropriate for renewable energy production," Reid said, pointing out that the solar energy from a 100 square mile area of Nevada could supply the entire United States with all of its electricity.

Reid finished by calling for changes in the utility and transmission sectors.

"We should begin giving utilities a profit motive to invest in energy efficiency and renewables," Reid said. "Now utilities make more money the more power they sell. It's time to incentivize efficiency." He also said it is time to discard "ancient technologies" and build a smart electric grid, complete with plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, or PHEVs.

Reid's address was followed by the Mayor of Las Vegas, and by presenters from GE Energy and Excel Energy.