We as a nation must establish a national priority to become energy secure and energy independent, Romney says.

Question: Is ethanol overhyped?

Mitt Romney: Well at this stage there’s great hope, of course, because if we can find ways through cellulosic ethanol to develop fuels that are economic, why it can be a great boon. I think we’re gonna have to wait for the science to tell you the answer to that. But I do believe that we as a nation must establish a national priority to become energy secure and energy independent. And that means we’re gonna develop new technologies, whether cellulosic ethanol or . . . or bio diesel, bio fuel, wind power, solar power, nuclear power, liquefied coal, more gas power to electric facilities. There are a whole host of things we can do to generate our own sources of energy. And at the same time we can be more efficient in our use of energy. The combination of those things being driven by science and by public-private partnerships I think can get America on a track to finally stop talking about energy independence and get there.

Recorded on: 11/26/07