There is little doubt that one of the key components in our nation’s economic recovery and ongoing security is a transition away from dependence on fossil fuels, particularly foreign oil, towards renewable energy solutions. But even as we move to develop sustainable energy technologies like solar and wind, are we neglecting the most important element, an upgraded power grid?

The short answer is yes. Bloomberg reports that with the existing infrastructure, most cities wouldn’t be able to tap into these alternative sources. This problem is a function of distance – much of the power would be generated in remote locations – and capacity – the current grid isn’t built to handle the increased load which could lead to frequent blackouts.

The country’s electrical network is a patchwork of 211,000 miles of of high-voltage power lines, connecting substations and transformers owned by utilities and federal agencies. Under the current stimulus, $6 billion has been allocated to expand and upgrade the transmission system over the next two years, a figure that represents only 5 percent of the $130 billion that the US Energy Department, among others, say is needed. “By contrast, China is spending 23 percent of its 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) in stimulus to make its grid ready for alternative sources.”

So why is the government continuing to fund alternative energy projects – recent loan guarantees from the Dept. of Energy show “as much as $30 billion for renewable projects, compared with $750 million to increase the reliability of the nation’s power network” - without the infrastructure to back it up?

Part of the reason, is that the government is hoping that private utilities and transmission developers will step up to the plate to complement their investment, but even if they do, we shouldn’t fall under the illusion that they’d contribute out of any sense of national pride. In fact, their willingness or lack thereof, will fall primarily on the backs of consumers.

Under the current plan, the Obama administration “targets 25 percent renewables by 2025, more than five times the current amount, excluding hydroelectric, the Energy Department says. That would add about 272,000 megawatts to the grid’s capacity of 830,000, further straining a transmission system largely built more than five decades ago.”

While I applaud this bold strategy, without seeing significant improvements to the energy grid first, this strikes me as a perfect example of putting the cart before the horse.