This week, a bipartisan coalition made up of 29 governors from around the country called on the President and Congress to support a new national renewable energy standard and develop an interstate wind power transmission system. (Click here to read the article) .

Calling themselves the “Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition,” the group issued a list of recommendations that the claim will create jobs, impact climate change, and move the US towards energy independence. 

Their recommendations include:

* Deep water offshore wind technology
* Streamlined permitting process for onshore and offshore wind projects
* Long-term at credits for clean energy manufacturers
* A Nationwide Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)

While renewable energy certainly should have a seat at the energy efficiency table, it’s clear that there is still little awareness of the important role onsite power can play in both the development of the Smart Grid and the success of any national energy policy.

So what do you think? Is the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition on the right track? Do we have to win small battles first—like ensuring renewable energy becomes in integral part of any US energy policy—before taking on the larger task of moving from a completely centralized power grid to a hybrid distributed system? How long will it take for onsite power to be recognized as inseparable from energy efficiency