Senator Kent Conrad | North Dakota

Energy

"Our nation faces a growing energy challenge. We must chart a new course toward energy independence. North Dakota is home to vast resources of traditional energy sources, such as oil, natural gas, and lignite, and has great potential to increase our production of energy from renewable sources, such as wind and biodiesel. I am committed to a national plan for greater energy independence - a plan that makes North Dakota a national energy leader."
--Senator Kent Conrad

Promoting North Dakota's Energy Resources
Fully Utilizing the Bakken Formation
Expanding Our Use of Wind Power
Advancing Clean Coal Technology
Increasing Biofuels Production
Conservation and Energy Efficiency
Addressing the Challenge of Global Climate Change

Promoting North Dakota's Energy Resources

North Dakota is fortunate to have a variety of resources that can help meet our energy needs. The Bakken Formation in the western part of North Dakota harbors billions of barrels of oil, as well as vast amounts of natural gas. The recent discovery of these deposits, coupled with new technologies, has created a rapidly growing oil and gas sector in the state. North Dakota also features enormous wind energy potential, large coal reserves, and abundant amounts of crops that can be converted to biofuels. Senator Conrad will continue to advance efforts that put North Dakota's resources at the center of our national energy strategy.

Click here to learn about major energy bills recently passed by Congress and how they will benefit North Dakota.

Fully Utilizing the Bakken Formation

The Bakken Formation, which lies under the western part of North Dakota, is the fastest-growing oil play in the United States. Senator Conrad strongly supports oil production in this region because it supports thousands of jobs and helps our nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

The exciting potential of the Bakken Formation also brings some challenges for the state. For example, the rapid growth in oil production has led to the deterioration of roads and a shortage of housing in the region. As a result, Senator Conrad has brought members of the President's cabinet to the state to get an up-close look at the effects of the Bakken oil boom so the private sector can partner with local, state, and federal agencies to fully take advantage of this resource.

Expanding Our Use of Wind Power

Harnessing wind for electricity provides our country with a clean, endless power source. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, North Dakota has one of the highest potentials for generating electricity from the wind. North Dakota currently has about 1,500 megawatts of wind power online, which can provide power for hundreds of thousands of homes in the region.

One of the largest hurdles for the wind energy sector is the lack of electric power lines that can move wind power from North Dakota's prairie to more urban markets across the nation. To encourage more private sector investment in these transmission lines, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $6 billion to strengthen the federal loan guarantee program for renewable electricity transmission projects. The Recovery Act also included a multi-year extension of tax incentives for companies that invest in wind turbine projects.

Advancing Clean Coal Technology

The earth underneath North Dakota contains enough lignite coal to power the state for centuries. North Dakota's lignite coal industry has improved the quality of life in the state by creating some of its best-paying jobs and keeping utility bills in the state among the lowest in the nation.

Senator Conrad is committed to advancing new coal technologies so that North Dakotans can continue to benefit from our state's vast coal resources while enjoying pristine air quality.

Recently, Senator Conrad was joined by Senator Hatch in introducing a bipartisan bill to provide tax incentives for energy companies that invest in the first generation of coal power plants that capture and store carbon dioxide.

Increasing Biofuels Production

North Dakota is home to many fuel-producing crops, including corn, canola, switchgrass, and soybeans. Using biofuels, our nation can power its cars with fuels from the Midwest rather than the Middle East.

Senator Conrad has supported legislation to advance the production and use of biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel. For example, he voted for the Energy Independence and Security Act, which ramps up the production of renewable biofuels to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Of this amount, at least 21 billion gallons must come from advanced biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol. Senator Conrad also co-authored the 2008 Farm Bill, which provides more than $1.5 billion to promote the use of cellulosic ethanol and other renewable sources of energy. Most recently, Senator Conrad sponsored bipartisan legislation to extend vital tax credits for the production of biofuels, providing more certainty to private sector investors and producers.

Conservation and Energy Efficiency

Senator Conrad believes we need a national energy policy that balances domestic energy production with increased conservation and energy efficiency. Greater efficiency in our nation's power plants, automobiles, and appliances saves money for all Americans. Greater efficiency also conserves our natural resources for future generations and makes America less dependent on foreign countries to meet our energy needs.

In 2007, Senator Conrad supported the Energy Independence and Security Act to promote energy efficient automobiles, lighting, and government buildings. Building on this success, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act increases and extends tax credits for home energy efficiency improvement, worth up to $1,500.

Click here to learn about energy efficiency tax incentives that may be available to you. Click here to learn about the energy efficiency provisions in the Recovery Act.

Addressing the Challenge of Global Climate Change

As Congress considers way to address the challenge of climate change, Senator Conrad will be working for a solution that carefully balances the need for action with the concerns about electricity rates for North Dakotans and the impact on our broader economy. Ensuring a diverse energy supply from clean, renewable sources -- including those that are abundant in North Dakota, like wind and biomass -- is critical to addressing global climate change. It is also important to develop advanced technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide produced from North Dakota's abundant coal resources.