One has to applaud former Vice President Al Gore’s call for a “man on the moon” effort by this country to switch from fossil fuels to carbon-free sources to produce electricity. However, it’s highly unlikely the nation will be even close to a total replacement in 10 years, as Gore wants.

Gore issued his challenge in a speech last week, saying it would solve global warming, as well as ease the pressure on fossil fuels, which has sent prices for them soaring in recent months.

The former vice president targeted electricity, because more than half the country’s power is produced using coal, which is responsible for more than a third of the United States’ carbon dioxide pollution. This, in turn, is the most prevalent of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

His “man on the moon” comparison was a catchy one, but the race to the moon was simple compared to any “race” to convert U.S. power production to wind, solar and other carbon-free sources.

To reach the moon, the administration feverishly pumped up one agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to fulfill the national mandate established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. The result was men on the moon in July 1969.

To reach carbon-free power, this country would have to harness and coordinate the efforts of the 50 states and hundreds of utilities, all of which are headed in many ways on many different timetables.

It would also have to gain the support of consumers, because the cleaner technology would, in all likelihood, cost more. The coal industry, too, isn’t likely to surrender its prominent role in power production without a fight. What’s more, the United States has plenty of coal, so it’s hard to advocate energy independence and less coal use at the same time.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to Gore’s 10-year plan is the starting point of this race. Only 8.6 percent of this nation’s power comes from renewable sources. Gore likes to include nuclear power in his carbon-frees, so throw in the 21 percent it produces. (It’s interesting — and encouraging — to see how former foes have come to embrace nuclear power after so many years.) That’s still only 29.6 percent.

And there are challenges to making even relatively small gains. The Oregonian newspaper this week noted the Bonneville Power Administration is already fretting about wind power proposals along the Columbia Gorge that would triple the amount of wind power in the Northwest. BPA says its transmission lines can handle only a third of that.

So, for the environment’s sake, power up with those renewables, Al. It’s just not going to happen in 10 years.

The (Grants Pass) Daily Courier