Gore's Energy Pronouncement Misses Mark

Al Gore belches forth another blast of hot air, calling for the US to go carbon neutral in 10 years.

How does he propose that we achieve this? Here:

To meet his 10-year goal, Gore said nuclear energy output would continue at current levels while the nation dramatically increases its use of solar, wind, geothermal and so-called clean coal energy. Huge investments must also be made in technologies that reduce energy waste and link existing grids, he said.

If the nation fails to act, the cost of oil will continue to rise as fast-growing China and India increase demand, Gore said. Sustained addiction to oil also will place the nation at the mercy of oil-producing regimes, he said, and the globe would suffer irreparable harm.

Government experts recently predicted that, at the current rate, world energy demand will grow 50 percent over the next two decades. The Energy Information Administration also said in its long-range forecast to 2030 that the world is not close to abandoning fossil fuels despite their effect on global warming.

So, Gore thinks that we can meet our energy demands with dramatic increases of solar, wind, geothermal, and clean coal?

He conveniently leaves out nuclear power as the great equalizer. Wind and solar are too variable given that output ebbs and flows depending on weather conditions and some parts of the country are better suited to those technologies than other.

No mention of hydropower either. I guess he doesn't like or want dams, even though they helped power his home state of Tennessee in one of the greatest feats of electrification in the 20th Century (see the Tennessee Valley Authority).

Clean coal is a great idea, but isn't that a fancy way of saying coal? Coal is a fossil fuel.

At least Gore realizes that we're not going to get rid of all fossil fuels, and that coal is one of the cheapest forms of energy we have available today and for the foreseeable future. That's a switch for him. And it would tend to signal a walk back from his inane demands to go cold turkey on carbon emissions.

Gore also doesn't quite understand that even if the US does everything he says, the cost of oil will continue to go through the roof because demand worldwide will continue to increase as China, India, and other third world countries develop and rely on petroleum sources for power.

UPDATE:
The NYT coverage of the same speech makes no mention of clean coal. Something is definitely amiss here. Someone is playing with quotes and what Gore said.

The text of the speech appears to be here, though those are the prepared remarks. Did what he actually say differ from what he submitted to the press?