COLUMBIA, Mo. (KFVS) – The world is becoming more electric: computers, phones, even cars. This is leading to an increase in energy use.

Missouri’s energy use has tripled since the 1950s, but we’re still using the same energy technologies we were back then.

A leader from the U.S. Department of Energy was in Missouri Thursday to discuss how the country can improve its energy resources. Harriet Kung, PhD, the deputy director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, spoke on this issue at the University of Missouri.

Kung points to renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, nuclear, and hydrogen, but worries those still won’t be enough to keep up with increasing demands.

“A lot of these renewable energies are not constant sources,” Kung said. “We don’t always have sun shining or wind blowing. How do we really capture this electricity being generated by renewable sources?”

Lawmakers introduced 16 bills that attempted to address energy solutions last year, but none made it to the finish line. Money is one key issue when considering energy sources.

“We cannot deploy these renewable energies unless they are economically competitive with other alternatives,” Kung said. “People will vote with their pocketbooks.”

It’s too expensive to run renewable energy sources at the rate we demand energy, but Kung thinks researchers, like the ones at Mizzou, can come up with new solutions.

“We are really working to lower the barrier for these technologies to be more mature, more affordable, more reliable,” Kung said.

Kung’s points were well received by Republican Rep. Kent Haden from Mexico, Missouri, who attended her talk. He thinks nuclear and hydrogen energy are the future of Missouri, but he is concerned about affordability.

Haden does not see an affordable path forward and is concerned Missouri and energy bills could double or even quadruple as we try to accommodate increasing energy needs.

This is sure to be a topic of conversation in the Missouri legislature next year, but Haden is not sure how far things will come as bills have not been well received in past years.

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