It's time for a truce. In reality, nuclear and wind are not competitive, but complementary. And beyond that, large amounts of both are essential, if we hope to continue meeting our power needs while cutting back on the fossil-fuel emissions that are heating up the global environment.

Sometime this century, world oil production likely will reach its peak as developing economies gulp a finite supply at an ever-increasing rate. Some experts think that Iowa could be a leader in producing the world’s next generation of fuels, transforming the state’s abundant natural and agricultural resources into fossil-fuel replacements. In “Fueling Iowa’s Future,” an occasional series of special reports during 2006, the Register’s editorial-page staff will examine the potential for Iowa to lead the renewable-fuels revolution and address the public-policy questions that such an undertaking would pose. REGISTER EDITORIAL BOARD