ENERGY

In a very literal sense, absolutely nothing can happen without energy. Everything that is or ever was on Earth would succumb to entropy and cease to be without the constant input of massive amounts of energy from the sun. All life depends on inputs of energy. All the accomplishments of humanity rely upon energy. The history of human civilization is very much a history of finding new sources and new uses of energy. Huge shifts in the organization of our societies came with the adoption of various forms of power. So it’s good sense for Ohio to have a comprehensive energy strategy. 

We’re undergoing some pretty serious shocks to energy supplies which is guaranteed to accelerate investment in new energy technologies and infrastructure. This can be a good thing but it will be a drag on the economy and make investment in fossil fuel infrastructure even riskier as socially preferable energy alternatives become financially preferable as well. Short term there is nothing Ohio can do to relieve energy prices, that’s up to the private extractors of oil and natural gas to increase their production, but long term anything is possible. 

We want to make energy cheaper and more reliable but beyond that we want to make energy orders of magnitude more abundant. It is the goal of the Dark Horse campaign that Ohio should engineer and undergo an energy transition of the same significance and scale as the adoption of steam power, electricity, or the internal combustion engine.

Read full excerpt on the topic of Energy on the soon to be unfinished Plan to Save Ohio.

Nuclear

  • Retain existing nuclear power plants
  • Expand nuclear engineering programs at public universities
  • Provide funding for advanced nuclear reactor research that use different fuels like thorium and different coolants like molten salt
  • Deploy small modular nuclear reactors

Natural Gas

  • Require safer, more efficient methods of fracking that results in less wastewater. 
  • Require natural gas companies prevent methane gas leaks
  • Invest in developing cheaper methods of natural gas extraction, refining, and shipping. 
  • Begin exploring future uses for natural gas and other fossil fuels within a carbon neutral, sustainable framework

Wind and Solar

  • Expand solar cell production even further
  • Build rooftop solar arrays, no solar farms
  • Expand wind farming in western Ohio
  • Mitigate damage of wind farms
  • Invest in wind turbine improvements to reduce footprint, increase efficiency

Electric Grid

  • Smart grid
  • Incorporate smart grid into broadband expansion
  • Secure the grid
  • Limit disruptions

Battery Storage

  • Develop utility scale battery technologies.
  • Develop Fuel Cells
  • Invest in lithium battery production to help dominate electric vehicle industry