Position Statement: NSPE supports a balanced approach to energy development and delivery that safely, reliably, and efficiently provides power for the Nation. NSPE advocates for the inclusion of professional engineers in the development and execution of this approach in all engineering aspects of (1) energy production, including mining, petroleum product extraction, fuel storage, generation of electricity, and waste management; (2) energy delivery, including pipelines, ground transportation, and infrastructure; (3) energy conservation and efficiency; and (4) energy facilities, including construction, maintenance and environmental impact.

Background: Reliable, economic, and environmentally sustainable energy is crucial to the economic development of our Nation. Further, energy development and delivery are subject to political, economic, and technological influences. The strategic objective of this approach is to provide a portfolio of reliable and cost-effective energy sources while protecting the public health, safety, and welfare, and taking into account the maintenance of quality of life, economic trade-offs, life cycle costs, and environmental impacts associated with energy production and delivery. NSPE’s unified energy policy accounts for a holistic approach to energy development and delivery that relies upon the development of a diverse portfolio of energy production and fuel sources in order to reliably meet current and future needs while advocating for the involvement of professional engineers in the evaluation and execution of a balanced approach to provide safe and cost-effective energy for generations. In executing this holistic approach to our energy portfolio, it is necessary to give appropriate consideration to all facets of energy production, energy delivery, and energy conservation and efficiency.

While the holistic development of a balanced portfolio of domestic energy development and delivery will require input from key stakeholders in economics, law, politics, industry, regulation, science, environmental justice, and engineering, professional engineers must be included in such development given their licensed commitment to hold the public health, safety, and welfare foremost above all other considerations. Development of any approach absent this paramount consideration fails to include a key voice and interest necessary in this complicated endeavor. Balanced weight must be given to the development of diverse energy sources which currently include: Coal and Lignite, Petroleum Products (including Natural Gas and other fuels); Nuclear; Biomass; Solar; Wind; Geothermal; and Hydroelectric. Energy delivery includes pipelines (transmission and distribution); railways; waterways; roadways; electric transmission lines; and electric distribution lines. Other sources of energy and means of distribution should be added to the energy portfolio as they prove technically feasible and economically viable. Energy conservation and efficiency, smart grid technologies and other incremental system improvements should be deployed to improve the overall development, delivery and consumption of various energy resources.