[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[February 20, 2006]
[Pages 290-299]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on Energy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 20, 2006

    John, thanks. Thanks for letting me come 
by to say hello. [Laughter] I've got something on my mind I want to 
share with you. First, happy President's Day. It turns out, most folks 
in Washington don't work on President's Day. [Laughter] The only one 
working is the President. [Laughter]
    I want to talk to you about the fact that I think we're in an 
important moment in history and that we have a chance to transform the 
way we power our economy and how we lead our lives. That's what I'm here 
to talk about. It's a good place to come to talk about it because the 
truth of the matter is, in order to seize the moment, this country has 
got to remain technologically advanced.
    Johnson Controls has been on the cutting edge of energy technology 
and other technologies for more than a century. And the innovators that 
work here and the smart folks who work here are on the leading edge of 
change, and that's why I've come. And there's a role for government to 
help, and I want to explain that role.
    Before I do, again, I want to thank you, John. I want to thank all the folks who work for Johnson 
Controls. It's not easy to host the President. [Laughter]
    I had the honor of touring the laboratory on the other side of town 
there, and it was really neat to see the engineers and the scientists 
and the Ph.D.s all working hard to apply their God-given talents to help 
this country remain on the leading edge of technology. It reminded me of 
one of the challenges we have in America, and that's to make sure a new 
generation of our citizens are interested in science and engineering and 
physics. And part of making sure this country is the leader in the 
world, we've got to make sure our children are properly educated so 
they'll be ready for the jobs of the 21st century.
    I want to thank Congresswoman Gwen Moore for joining us. I appreciate you coming; nice to see you. 
They tell me this is your congressional district, so it's awfully kind 
of you to let two other Congresspersons join us--that would be 
Congressman Mark Green and Congressman Paul 
Ryan. Thank you both for coming. We have eaten a 
lot of custard in the past. [Laughter] I'm still recovering, I want you 
to know. [Laughter]
    I want to thank the speaker of the house who 
has joined us. The mayor of the great city of 
Milwaukee has joined us, and the county executive has joined us. Thank you all for coming; proud you're 
here.
    By the way, it's always important, if any of you ever run for 
office, to always remember to recognize the sheriff. [Laughter] Sheriff 
Clarke, thank you for being here. Good 
to see you again. Thank you.
    Our economy is strong. It's gaining steam too. We're now in our 
fifth year of uninterrupted economic growth. Last year, our economy grew 
at a healthy rate of 3.5 percent, in spite of high energy prices and

[[Page 291]]

devastating storms. Real after-tax income is up nearly 8 percent per 
American since 2001. And that's one of the explanations, one of the 
reasons why retail sales last month made their biggest gain in more than 
4 years. Homeownership is at record levels. That's a good sign. We want 
people owning things in America. More minorities own a home than ever 
before in our Nation's history. America's unemployment rate is down to 
4.7 percent. That's the lowest level since 2001. We've added 4.7 million 
new jobs over the last 2\1/2\ years. We're doing fine.
    The fundamental question is, how do we keep doing fine? The 
challenge that faces us is, is how we make sure that the economic growth 
today carries over for tomorrow. And that's what I want to talk about. 
In order to understand what to do, you've got to understand what got us 
to where we are today. Part of it is keeping taxes low, by the way, and 
that's exactly what I intend to do so long as I'm the President, is keep 
taxes low. Part of it is being wise about how we spend our money. Part 
of it is understanding how technology plays in the future of the 
country.
    Think back 25 years ago, in the start of the 1980s. It's not all 
that long ago, really. Some of us remember the eighties pretty clearly--
[laughter]--a lot of kind of gray-haired folks here that lived through 
the eighties. [Laughter] Then most Americans used typewriters instead of 
the computers. They used pay phones--you remember what those were--
instead of cell phones. They used carbon paper instead of laser 
printers, bank tellers instead of ATMs, and they played the license 
plate game on trips, as opposed to DVDs. [Laughter] Times have changed a 
lot in 25 years because of technology.
    We're seeing new develops all the time--new developments. Advanced 
battery technology allows cell phones to last about 50 percent longer 
than they did just 5 years ago. In your laboratory, we're seeing--
firsthand seeing the progress being made because of your scientists and 
engineers in lighter, more potent battery technology. Lightweight parts 
and better engines allow cars to travel 60 percent farther on a gallon 
of gas than they did three decades ago.
    Technologies are helping this economy become more efficient. Listen 
to this: Over the last 30 years, our economy has grown three times 
faster than our energy consumption. The economy has grown three times 
faster than energy consumption. During that period of time, we created 
56 million jobs while cutting air pollution by 50 percent. Technology is 
really important for the future of this country. And so in the State of 
the Union, I said that by using technology, we can help make sure this 
country remains a world leader. And that starts with making sure we 
change our energy habits.
    I know it came as a shock to some to hear a Texan stand up there in 
front of the country and say, ``We've got a real problem; America is 
addicted to oil.'' But I meant it, because it's a true fact, and we've 
got to do something about it now. Oil is the primary source of gasoline; 
it is the primary source of diesel; it is the primary source of jet 
fuel. And that means that oil accounts for virtually all energy 
consumption in the vital transportation sector of our economy.
    The oil we consume in this important sector comes from foreign 
countries; most of it does. In 1985, three-quarters of the crude oil 
used in U.S. refineries came from America; today, that equation has 
changed dramatically. Less than half the crude oil used in our 
refineries is produced here at home. Sixty percent comes from foreign 
countries. Things have changed since 1985.
    Some of the nations we rely on for oil have unstable governments or 
fundamental differences with the United States. These countries know we 
need their oil, and that reduces influence. It creates a national 
security issue when we're held hostage for energy by foreign nations 
that may not like us.

[[Page 292]]

    Energy is also part of our economic security as well. That's 
obvious. I mean, the global demand for oil has been rising faster than 
supply because there's new economies that are beginning to gin up, new 
economies growing, like China and India. Oil prices rise sharply when 
demand is greater than supply. And when they do, it strains your 
budgets. It hurts our families; it hurts our small entrepreneurs. It's 
like a hidden tax. And so we're vulnerable to high prices of oil, and 
we're vulnerable to sudden disruptions of oil. What I'm telling you is 
oil--the dependence upon oil is a national security problem and an 
economic security problem. And here's what we intend to do about it.
    First, Congress passed a good energy bill last summer; I was pleased 
to sign it. It took a little bit of work. It's kind of hard to get 
things done in Washington; there's a lot of sharp partisan elbows up 
there these days. But we got something done, and it's a good bill. It 
encourages conservation and new technologies and alternative sources of 
energy. But there's a lot more that needs to be done.
    The first thing that needs to be done is to make sure that there's 
an incentive for private business to invest in research and development. 
If technology is going to help us change our energy habits and change 
the way we live, it makes sense for the Government to incent people to 
invest in research and development. Right now we've got what we call a 
research and development tax credit, which is a major incentive for 
private companies such as yourselves to invest in research and 
development, which will yield new technologies. The problem is, is that 
the R&D tax credit expires. As a matter of fact, they've only renewed it 
on an annual basis.
    Now, I don't know how in the heck Congress thinks that people can 
plan properly if they're uncertain as to whether or not the tax credit 
is going to exist. So therefore, if we want to be on the leading edge of 
research and development, then Congress needs to make the R&D tax credit 
a permanent part of the Tax Code.
    Secondly, Government can help. Government provides about a third of 
the dollars for research and development. Two-thirds come from the 
private sector; one-third comes from the Government. And so I propose to 
double the Federal commitment to the most critical basic research 
programs in the physical sciences over the next decade.
    Let me explain our strategy when it comes to energy. So in other 
words, part of our strategy is to make sure people continue to invest. 
The research you're doing at Johnson Labs will change people's lives 
appreciably. But we've got to continue to make sure we conduct research 
and development if we want to be a leader in the world. If we don't want 
to be a leader in the world, fine; we'll just quit. That's not how I 
view America. I want America to lead the world, because by leading the 
world when it comes to the economy, we're helping our people. We're 
making our people more productive, and productivity increases enhance 
standard of living, and increased standards of living means the American 
people are doing better.
    Now, I laid out what's called an Advanced Energy Initiative. And a 
cornerstone of the initiative is a 22-percent increase in funding for 
clean energy research at the Department of Energy. And it's got two 
major goals, or two objectives: first, to transform the way we power our 
cars and trucks; and secondly, to transform the way we power our homes 
and offices.
    So let me talk to you about the first one. Our Nation is on the 
thresholds of some new energy technologies that I think will startle the 
American people. It's not going to startle you here at Johnson Controls 
because you know what I'm talking about. [Laughter] You take it for 
granted. But the American people will be amazed at how far our 
technology has advanced in order to meet an important goal, which is to 
reduce our imports from the Middle

[[Page 293]]

East by 75 percent by 2025 and eventually getting rid of our dependence 
totally.
    The first objective is to change the way we power our cars and 
trucks. Today's cars and trucks are fueled almost exclusively by 
gasoline and diesel fuel, which, of course, comes from oil. To transform 
the way we power the vehicles, we have got to diversify away from oil. I 
just gave you a reason from a national security perspective as well as 
economic security perspective why reliance upon oil is not good for the 
United States.
    And so here are three ways that we can do that, change our reliance 
from oil. First, invest in new kinds of vehicles that require much less 
gasoline. It's a practical thing to do. Secondly, find new fuels that 
will replace gasoline and, therefore, dependence on oil. And finally, 
develop new ways to run a car without gasoline at all.
    The most promising ways to reduce gasoline consumption quickly is 
through hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles have both a gasoline-powered 
engine and an electric battery based on technologies that were developed 
by the Department of Energy. In other words, this technology came to be 
because the Federal Government made a research commitment. That's why I 
think it's double--important to double research as we go down the next 
decade. The gasoline engine charges the battery, which helps drive the 
vehicle. And the twin sources of power allow hybrid cars and trucks to 
travel about twice as far on a gallon of fuel as gasoline-only vehicles. 
That is a good start, when something can go twice as far on a gallon of 
gasoline than the conventional vehicle can.
    Hybrid vehicles are a good deal for consumers, and the American 
people are figuring it out. More than 200,000 hybrids were sold in the 
United States last year--the highest sales on record. There's growing 
demand for hybrid automobiles. And working with the Congress, we came up 
with an additional incentive, and that is, we provide a tax credit up to 
$3,400 per hybrid vehicle purchaser. In other words, we want to 
stimulate demand. In the marketplace, when there is demand, suppliers 
will meet that demand, and that's positive, because if you can go twice 
as far on a gallon of gasoline than otherwise, it means we're becoming 
less dependent on oil. Hybrid vehicles on the road today are delivering 
impressive gasoline savings.
    But there is more to be done, and that's why I'm here at Johnson 
Controls, because engineers here are working on ways to replace the 
current hybrid battery technology with advanced lithium ion batteries 
that are now used in cell phones and laptops. These batteries are 
lighter; they are more powerful; and they can be recharged quickly. 
Using new lithium ion batteries, engineers will be able to design the 
next generation of hybrid vehicles, called plug-in hybrids, that can be 
recharged through a standard electrical outlet. Start picturing what I'm 
talking about: You've got your car; you pull in; you plug it right in 
the wall. [Laughter]
    Development will make a big difference in the performance of hybrid 
cars and trucks. Instead of depending on the gasoline engine to recharge 
the electric battery, the plug-in hybrids will have fully charged 
batteries as soon as you get in the automobile. And that means plug-in 
hybrids will be able to travel much greater distances on electricity 
alone, thereby saving more gas for our consumers, thereby making us less 
dependent on oil.
    The plug-in hybrid, they estimate, can initially go 40 miles on 
electricity alone. So you've got a lot of folks living in cities like 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who generally don't drive more than 40 miles a 
day. Therefore, within 40 miles, you'll be on electricity and using no 
gasoline. Eventually, plug-in hybrids with lithium ion batteries will be 
able to get 100 miles per gallon. And now all of a sudden, you're 
beginning to see the effects of this important technology on our 
national security and on our economic security, but more important, for 
the pocketbook of our consumers.

[[Page 294]]

    Plug-in hybrids are a really important part of the strategy I've 
announced, and we're going to provide $31 million to speed up research 
on these advanced technologiesSU/; this is a 27-percent increase over 
current funding levels. In other words, we like to--the experts tell me 
this is a very good chance to have major breakthroughs, and we want to 
accelerate those breakthroughs. And, again, I want to thank you all for 
being on the leading edge of change.
    We're also supporting the development of advanced fuels that can 
replace regular gasoline. Here again I'm talking to folks who know what 
I'm talking about; I'm talking about ethanol. You've got a lot of it 
here in Wisconsin because you've got corn. Ethanol is produced--
primarily produced from corn; it's blended with gasoline to produce 
clean and efficient fuel. And blends with that ethanol concentration of 
less than 10 percent, ethanol can be used in any vehicle. With minor 
modifications--I emphasize ``minor modifications''--cars and trucks can 
become what we call flex-fuel vehicles that run on a fuel blend called 
E-85, which is a mix of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. 
That's a positive development.
    Ethanol, by the way, can be used in hybrid vehicles. So the more 
ethanol we use, the less crude oil we consume. And using ethanol has the 
added benefit of supporting our farmers. I like to kind of tease in a 
way, but beneath the tease is serious--it will be good one day when the 
President is given the crop report. [Laughter] It says, ``Mr. President, 
corn is up--[laughter]--and we're less dependent on foreign sources of 
energy.''
    America produced a record 3.9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2005--
was the record levels. That's twice the level produced when I got sworn 
in first time. There are five ethanol plants that are up and running 
here in Wisconsin, and more are coming. We offer a tax credit to ethanol 
blenders of 51 cents per gallon. We're committed to ethanol. It makes 
sense. Ethanol benefits a lot of folks, but most importantly, it 
benefits those who are driving cars.
    Now, we're on the edge of advancing additional ethanol production. 
New technology is going to make it possible to produce ethanol from wood 
chips and stalks and switchgrass and other natural materials. 
Researchers at the Energy Department tell me we're 5 or 6 years away 
from breakthroughs in being able to produce fuels from those waste 
products. In other words, we're beginning to--we're coming up with a way 
to make something out of nothing. And this is important because it's--
economics are such that it's important to have your ethanol-producing 
factories or plants close to where the product is grown.
    That's why E-85 has spread throughout the Midwest; that's where 
you're growing the corn. Pretty soon, you know, if you're able to grow 
switchgrass and convert that into ethanol, then you're going to have 
availability for ethanol in other parts of the country. I mean, there's 
a lot of stuff that gets thrown away that may be converted into fuel, 
but it's not just located in one part of the country; it's located 
around the country. And one of the goals is to make sure that ethanol is 
widespread. If we want to affect our consumption of oil, we want ethanol 
to be readily available for consumers outside certain parts of the--
certain regions of the country.
    And so we proposed spending $150 million for Government and private 
research into these homegrown fuels. It's an important initiative. We 
want to provide our consumers with reasonable, cost-effective ways to 
help us become less dependent on foreign sources of oil.
    And we've got another initiative that I find interesting, and it's 
important. And that is, we're spending money--your hard-earned money--on 
research to develop a vehicle that will not use gasoline, and it won't 
produce any pollution whatsoever, and that's through hydrogen. When 
hydrogen is used in a device called a fuel cell,

[[Page 295]]

it can deliver enough electricity to power a car that emits pure water 
instead of exhaust fumes. It's an exciting new technology. We're a ways 
down the road from bringing it to fruition, but we are spending $1.2 
billion over 5 years to research this important opportunity.
    We're seeing some progress, by the way, when it comes to hydrogen 
fuel cells. They tell me that the cost of manufacturing hydrogen fuel 
cells has been cut in half, which is good. Research is taking place. 
There could be a new technology available so that when your children 
take their first driver's test--or when some of your children take their 
first driver's test, they will do so in a hydrogen-powered automobile.
    And so those are three steps--three important steps--three steps in 
which we can help change our driving habits. And by changing our driving 
habits, we've changed our dependency on foreign sources of oil.
    Now, the second objective of the Advanced Energy Initiative is to 
transform the way we power our homes and offices. And so we've got to 
diversify our electricity supply, is what I'm about to--I'll give you 
the bottom line first: We must diversify. Right now American electricity 
is generated by four principle sources: Coal accounts for about 50 
percent; nuclear power, about 20 percent; natural gas, about 18 percent; 
and renewable sources like hydroelectric, solar, and wind power account 
for the rest.
    The most versatile of these fuels is natural gas, and there we have 
a problem. We have a problem because natural gas is used for more than 
just heating your homes. Natural gas is important for--to help create 
fertilizer for farmers. Natural gas powers heavy duty machinery used for 
manufacturing and chemical production. In other words, there's a lot of 
uses for natural gas. And yet natural gas has become really popular for 
electricity generation in recent years, and the price has tripled 
recently. And these price increases obviously affect our farmers; they 
affect our ranchers; they affect our consumers.
    And they affect our businesses. Businesses that rely upon natural 
gas feedstocks have found that in order to stay in business, they've got 
to move their plants closer to where vast quantities of natural gas are 
being discovered, and that's not here in the United States; that's 
elsewhere.
    And so we've got to figure out how to confront this issue. And 
here's two ways to do it. First, we've got to make sure that we've got 
enough natural gas to meet our home heating and industrial needs. And 
one of the best ways to secure supply is to expand our ability to 
receive liquefied natural gas. It's a supercool form of natural gas that 
can be transported from overseas on tankers. Natural gas inside of 
America is generally transported by pipeline. Huge supplies of gas exist 
outside the reach of pipelines. And technology is being developed that 
can cool the gas. They can bring the gas over in tankers in liquefied 
form, deliquefy it, and put it into our pipeline system.
    The problem is, is that we didn't have enough sites to set up 
terminals to receive the LNG. And until there's a place for the LNG to 
unload, the liquefied natural gas, what I'm talking about isn't going to 
come to fruition. And so one of the things in the energy bill that was 
important is it clarified Federal authority to site new receiving 
terminals for LNG. And that's good. In other words, if we need more 
natural gas to make sure that we take the pressure off the heating bills 
as well as meet our industrial needs, we've got to have places for the 
liquefied natural gas to come into the country.
    And the bill also did another important thing, and that is to 
streamline permitting processes for onshore natural--off--onshore, 
offshore natural gas exploration. In other words, we've got to make it 
easier--and at the same time, protect our environment--to make sure that 
we can find natural gas that fits into the pipeline to help take the 
pressure off of price.

[[Page 296]]

    Secondly, we need to reduce our reliance on natural gas for 
electricity generation. In other words, we've got to substitute other 
forms of power for natural gas if we expect to be able to maintain a 
manufacturing base that relies upon natural gas. And the best way to do 
that is to expand our use of coal, nuclear power, and renewable sources 
of energy like wind and solar.
    Let me start with coal. Coal is by far our country's most abundant 
and affordable energy resource. It's estimated we've got more than 250 
years of reserves. That's a lot; that's a lot. And I'm sure you 
recognize this--or realize this, but in Wisconsin, when you flip on the 
light switch, there's a 75-percent chance that electricity is generated 
by coal-powered plants. In other words, you use it here in Wisconsin.
    Coal has the potential to reduce our reliance on natural gas. The 
problem is, we've got to make sure that we can keep our commitment to 
the environment. Coal requires investment to make sure that we don't 
pollute our air. And that's the conundrum; that's the difficulty with 
coal. This country is--I told you we've reduced our air pollution by 50 
percent, in spite of the fact that our economy has grown substantially. 
We want to continue that commitment.
    I told folks when I was running for President the first time around 
that we would invest $2 billion over 10 years to promote clean coal 
technology. In other words, I believed, as did many others, that 
technology will help us deal with this dilemma. And we're on our way, by 
the way, to complete the promise several years ahead of schedule. In 
other words, we are committing research dollars to see if we can't use 
this abundant resource and, at the same time, protect our environment.
    The coal research has helped pioneer more effective pollution 
controls. We're helping coal plant efficiency. We've also implemented 
new clean air regulations that use a cap and trade system, which gives 
utility companies incentives to continue investing in clean coal 
technology. Congress needs to pass my Clear Skies legislation.
    But we're getting closer to an interesting, important goal--that by 
continuing to invest at the Federal level as well as encourage private 
investment, we will build the world's first powerplant to run on coal 
that produces zero emissions, by 2015. That will be a positive 
development for future generations of Americans.
    I'd like to talk about nuclear power. Today, there are more than 100 
nuclear plants in America that operate in 31 States, including right 
here in Wisconsin. The plants are producing electricity safely, and they 
don't emit any air pollution or greenhouse gases. America hasn't ordered 
a nuclear plant since the 1970s, and that's the result of litigation--or 
because of litigation and complex regulations.
    It's interesting when you think about a country like France, 
however. They have built 58 plants since the 1970s; they get 78 percent 
of their electricity from nuclear power. It's an interesting contrast, 
isn't it? We haven't done anything since the seventies. This country has 
decided to recognize the importance of having renewable sources of 
energy that protect the environment, and 78 percent of their electricity 
comes from this form of energy. China has 8 nuclear plants in the works, 
by the way, and plans to build at least 40 more over the next two 
decades.
    I'm going to India later on--at the beginning of next month, March 
1st. I'm going to talk about a civilian nuclear power program for India. 
I'll tell you why I am in a minute, but first, let's talk about here at 
home.
    I think we ought to start building nuclear powerplants again. I 
think it makes sense to do so. Technology is such that we can do so and 
say to the American people, ``These are safe, and they're important.'' 
To encourage construction of nuclear powerplants, there's new Federal 
risk insurance for the first six new plants that will be

[[Page 297]]

built in the country. That's part of the energy bill I signed. This 
insurance helps protect the builders of these plants against lawsuits or 
bureaucratic obstacles and other delays beyond their control. In other 
words, there's an incentive to say, ``Let's get six of them started.''
    The administration has also launched what's called Nuclear Power 
2010 Initiative. It's a $1.1 billion partnership between the Government 
and industry to facilitate new plant orders. Chairman Nils Diaz of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is taking steps 
to streamline the licensing process for new plant construction. In other 
words, we're analyzing barriers and hurdles and trying to eliminate them 
so we can start this process.
    If we're trying to become less dependent on foreign sources of oil 
or energy like natural gas--we want to free up our natural gas to keep 
our manufacturing base intact--we need to move forward when it comes to 
alternative sources like nuclear power. And there's some encouraging 
results, and the mindset is beginning to change. After all, the mindset 
needed to change. We haven't built a plant since the 1970s. That's a 
fairly long period of time.
    This time last year, only two companies were seeking to build 
nuclear powerplants; now nine companies have expressed a new interest in 
new--interest in new construction. They're considering as many as 19 new 
plants. This progress is going to help an important goal. We'll start 
building nuclear powerplants again by the end of this decade. As part of 
our strategy, as part of our way to make sure that the future is bright 
and that America remains a leader in the world, is to understand the 
promise of nuclear power.
    We're also going to work with other nations to help them build 
nuclear power industries. And the reason why is, this is a global world 
in which we live, and demand for oil in China and India affects price 
here in America. And so, therefore, if we can help relieve the pressure 
off of demand for fossil fuels, it helps the entire world.
    And so we've got some challenges, however, in dealing with this 
issue. And that's why I put together what's called a global nuclear 
energy partnership. It's a partnership that works with countries that 
have got advanced nuclear energy programs or civilian nuclear energy 
programs like France and Great Britain and Japan and Russia. And here 
are the objectives of the partnership.
    First, supplier nations will provide fuel for nonsupplier nations so 
they can start up a civilian nuclear energy program. In other words, a 
lot of countries don't know how to enrich; a handful do. And it makes 
sense that we share that--share the benefits of our knowledge with 
others--but not share the knowledge, because there's concern about 
proliferation.
    One of the concerns you hear from the critics of expanding nuclear 
power is, all this will do to create proliferation concerns. Well, 
here's one way to address those concerns--to say, ``We'll provide the 
fuel for you, and we'll collect the fuel from you, by the way, and after 
we collect the fuel from you, we need to reprocess the spent nuclear 
material.'' By reprocessing, you can continue to use the fuel base, but 
equally importantly, we'll reduce the amount of nuclear waste that needs 
to be stored.
    So here is an initiative that affects us here at home and an 
initiative that will help others develop nuclear power so they can 
generate their economic growth. We want people growing in the world. We 
want people--economies to be in good shape. And we also expect others to 
help us protect the environment as well.
    Another electricity source with enormous potential is solar power. 
Today, Americans use small amounts of solar power, mainly to heat water 
or to power small consumer products like outdoor lights. After spending 
some time with you all here, I'm going over to Michigan to go to a 
company that manufactures thin film, photovoltaic cells.

[[Page 298]]

That's kind of a fancy word for cells that can generate electricity 
directly from sunlight.
    The technology--solar technology has the potential to change the way 
we live and work, if you really think about it. For example, roof makers 
will one day be able to create a solar roof that protects you from the 
elements and, at the same time, powers your house. And that's what these 
folks are working on.
    The vision is this: That you will have--that the technology will 
become so efficient that you'll become a little power generator in your 
home and that if you don't use the energy you generate, you'll be able 
to feed it back into the electricity grid. The whole purpose of spending 
money on solar power--and we intend to spend $150 million next year in 
funding for both Government and private research--is to bring to market 
as quickly as possible this important and impressive technology. It's 
really going to help change the way we live--we think--and we want solar 
power to become competitive by 2015.
    Another promising renewable is wind. You're getting--as Laura says, ``When you speak too long, you're a little 
windy.'' [Laughter] I'm not saying I'm wind power--[laughter]--but I am 
telling you I recognize the importance of wind power. More than $3 
billion worth of equipment to generate electricity from wind was 
installed in America last year. In other words, it's a new industry; 
it's beginning to grow; $3 billion is a good investment, good amount of 
investment. Obviously, people think there's potential when it comes to 
wind energy.
    About 6 percent of the continental U.S. has been identified as 
highly suitable for construction of wind turbines. Some have estimated 
that this area alone has the potential to supply up to 20 percent of our 
Nation's electricity. In other words, they've identified 6 percent of 
the country's landmass as a good place for wind turbines that, if 
installed with the right technology, could have a major effect on the 
electricity that we all use. So we're proposing additional money for 
research and development.
    I think you're beginning to get the drift of what I'm talking about. 
We're on the edge of some amazing breakthroughs--breakthroughs all aimed 
at enhancing our national security and our economic security and the 
quality of life for the folks who live here in the United States. And 
so, therefore, now is the time for Congress to join me in spending this 
money. I think it's a good use of your money, to help us achieve major 
breakthroughs in how we live and how we can reduce our dependency on 
oil. This is an issue that Republicans and Democrats can and must come 
together on. It's an issue that--[applause].
    Think about how your children or your grandchildren may be able to 
spend a President's Day in the future. If you're planning a trip to 
visit relatives, you can plug in your hybrid car the night before and 
drive the first 40 miles on your lithium ion battery. If you've got more 
distance to go, you can fill up at your local ethanol station. If you're 
in Wisconsin, you'll be filling it up with corn product. In Crawford, it 
may just be switchgrass. [Laughter] You may decide to travel in a 
hydrogen-powered minivan and refuel at a station with hydrogen generated 
by a local nuclear powerplant. When you finally make it to where you're 
going, you can sit at a house that is lit by clean coal or wind energy 
or solar-powered roof over your head.
    We're close. We're close to having this vision realized in America. 
And by the way, this can all be done--the whole trip can be done without 
consuming a single drop of oil. It's within our reach. There was a lot 
of time when most Americans would never have imagined that we'd be 
traveling long distance in our automobile instead of a buggy or sending 
e-mails instead of letters. In the life of this Nation, we have seen 
incredible and rapid advances in technology--in the history of this 
country.

[[Page 299]]

    I believe the greatest advances are yet to come, and I want to thank 
the good folks here at Johnson for helping them come. Thanks for your 
time. God bless.

Note: The President spoke at 11:43 a.m. at Johnson Controls Building 
Efficiency Business. In his remarks, he referred to John M. Barth, chief 
executive officer, president, and director, Johnson Controls, Inc.; John 
G. Gard, speaker, Wisconsin State Assembly; Mayor Thomas M. Barrett of 
Milwaukee, WI; and Scott Walker, county executive, and Sheriff David A. 
Clarke, Jr., of Milwaukee County, WI.