By Lena Babaeva

Experts are pitching ideas for TVA to boost use of renewable energy in order for TVA to meet anticipated federal standards on renewable energy as Congress is considering legislation to require utility companies to produce 20 percent of their energy through renewable energy sources by 2021.

"We have had about 60 proposals on renewable energy, a little bit of it bio-mass in Tennessee, but most outside Tennessee," he said.

Sansom stressed nuclear power as an important option because of its low carbon emissions. He noted that Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials have toured TVA plants recently.

"They are pleased with what we are doing and they like the idea we are trying to do one (nuclear plant) at a time and then move to the next one," he said.

Thom Mason, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, said the quickest way to reduce energy costs is to increase energy efficiency of homes and buildings and to produce more hybrid and electric vehicles so fewer power plants have to be built. Mason said ORNL is working with TVA on both initiatives.

Mason said Tennessee is not windy enough to make windmills a very attractive option, but biomass, and the use of underwater turbines are promising. Solar is not very practical now because of the expense of materials to make solar panels, but holds out significant promise if these costs can be brought down, he said.

Tennessee’s solar capacity is about 85 percent that of the Southwest. 

From the Nashville Post:  Alexander believes that in energy goals “We need to focus on conservation first, nuclear power second, and after that–electric cars. That would do the most, in this region, to have clean electricity.”