O’Reilly: Transition will take more than a few decades

Going green may be beneficial in the long run, but it’s not easy, said Chevron Corp. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dave O’Reilly. According to O’Reilly, Chevron has invested in renewable energy and supports a gradual transition from fossil fuels to renewable and alternative fuels with smaller carbon footprints. However, the transition will take more than a few decades, he said. He said replacing coal with natural gas for power generation would be the “speediest way” to cut greenhouse gas emissions, both in the United States and worldwide. O’Reilly said that U.S. climate change legislation should include a fee for emitting carbon dioxide, whether in the form of a flat tax or by some other mechanism. (June 11, 2009)