A National Energy Education Act could be administered through the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation to provide support in a variety of areas, including grants to expand national laboratories to focus on the energy sciences; undergraduate financial aid and loan forgiveness for students willing to enter energy-related fields; energy efficiency-related service-learning opportunities; and new work force development programs at our community and technical colleges.
America's clean energy transformation will not occur overnight, nor will it occur over 10 years. The Apollo project is a powerful and inspiring metaphor, but ultimately it is inadequate to describe the scale of transformation necessary to overcome the energy challenge. Transforming our nation's entire energy economy - let alone the global energy economy - will require a level of expertise, innovation and generational effort unlike any before, and it will take a lifetime to achieve.
Our generation is ready. We have seen an overwhelming hunger for a new inspirational vision and purpose for our nation. We simply need our government to embrace this new Sputnik moment and provide the leadership and resources necessary to confront the energy challenge.
