The Jetstream Initiative: Key Issues

Key issues associated with the current economic crisis that can be resolved through the implementation of The Jetstream Initiative are as follows:

Energy Capacity Issues

• There is not enough transmission capability to properly allocate resources across the country. [3]
• Energy resource deficiencies could result in broad scale blackouts starting with the summer of 2009. [3]
• “U.S. baseload generation capacity reserve margins have declined precipitously to 17% in 2007, from 30-40% in the early 1990s. A 12-15% capacity reserve margin is the minimum required to ensure reliability and stability of the nation’s electricity system.” [3]
• “Compounding this capacity deficiency, the projected U.S. demand in the next 10 years is forecast to grow by 18%, far exceeding the projected 8% growth in baseload generation capacity between now and 2016.” [3]
• “In total, the U.S. will require about 120 gigawatts (GW) of new generation just to maintain a 15% reserve margin.” [3]

The NextGen Energy Council in conjunction with Management Information Services, Inc. published an article called “Lights Out in 2009?” that treats the electrical grid capacity crisis in exhaustive detail. We recommend a full reading of this article which is listed in our references.

Other Issues

• Natural Gas prices are increasing the cost of electricity, increasing the burden on homeowners and businesses. This is particularly true since peak demand is typically met by natural gas plants. [5]
• Multiple industries are suffering, the real estate market, businesses of all sizes, and car manufacturers.
• Unemployment has risen by 1.7% in the first 10 months of 2008 losing 2.8 million jobs in the last year. [4]
• CO₂ and related emissions are rising.
• The increasing need to import energy resources is distorting U.S. foreign policy priorities.

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