Imagine if the fastest, most efficient way to meet the nation's need for clean energy was to tap into its most treasured natural resource: Yellowstone National Park.

Self-proclaimed problem-solver Steve M. Green claims that the geothermal energy of the Yellowstone caldera could generate enough steam-powered electricity to power man's needs across the globe.

"While the United States currently uses about 4 trillion kilowatts annually, the energy produced from just 3 percent of the caldera via steam generators would provide 10 trillion kilowatts a year," said Green.

Green's idea: Carefully locate hundreds of steam-powered generators over the caldera and distribute the power throughout a rebuilt electrical grid providing access for home use as well as powering stations for electric automobiles and trains.

Green said this Manhattan Project of energy ideas would create and sustain millions of jobs and revitalize the U.S. automobile and steel industries.

"We have the most powerful source of energy on the planet here in the United States," Green told the Star-Tribune. "If we choose to properly use that energy and we can demand of our leadership to utilize this energy - then we won't have to demand anything from abroad. In fact, all of this could have been for less than the $1 trillion we just spent on this bailout."

Geothermal energy is one of the most efficient sources of electricity. In California, power plants at The Geysers, Salton Sea, Coso, Casa Diablo and other geothermal systems generate about 4,500 megawatts of electricity, providing energy for several million people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

There are also geothermal power plants in Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii. Most famously, Iceland gets more than 25 percent of its electricity from geothermal power.

Of course, federal parks in the U.S. are strictly off-limits for any type of industrial development. The opposition to such a proposal would be - shall we say - nuclear in proportion.

"In Yellowstone, it is almost certain that geothermal production anywhere in the park will damage the thermal features and disrupt geyser activity," said Shaul Hurwitz, of the U.S. Geological Survey's Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

But Green insists that no matter what policies are pursued (or not pursued) to address climate change and energy demand, there are trade-offs.

Sure, the 100 steam-turbine plants and web of power lines leading out of Yellowstone to implement Green's geothermal grid idea would have an impact on wildlife there. But what of the thousands of species across the world that might be saved from extinction due to man-caused greenhouse gas emissions? The American public already finds it acceptable to drill the basin areas where Yellowstone's most prized ungulates retreat to survive winters.

Green said the argument that a green energy economy will put coal industry workers out of a job doesn't hold water. It's not a matter of cutting jobs, but retraining the work force for new, more secure jobs. The industry-wide shift would likely occur between generations, given the massive exodus of retirees in the industry.

"If we don't make a conscience decision right now to save the planet, we cannot turn the clock back. We're at the breaking point," said Green.

In fact, it is American jobs, the American economy and the world's environment that would benefit most from implementing the Yellowstone geothermal plan, Green said.

Over the next 40 years, the world population of 6.7 billion is projected to grow to nearly 9 billion - and they all want to enjoy a decent standard of living. Projections like these are precisely why national economic security likely depends on a self-reliance of one's own domestic resources.

So what are the logistics of cutting man-caused greenhouse gas emissions and still meeting the increasing energy needs of a booming population? Will it be 350 nuclear-sized proposals and 350 bare-knuckle NIMBY legal wars across the nation?

Perhaps the logistics are smaller than the cultural leap it would take to tackle such world-scale problems.

"My personal thought is that no matter how bad the energy crisis gets, no one will ever get permission to drill within Yellowstone, and getting permission outside will also be quite difficult. There would definitely be a lot of power-production possible by developing Yellowstone's geothermal resources, if it were ever allowed," said Jake Lowenstern, of the USGS's Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

If you think Green's Yellowstone power generation idea is D.O.A. today, don't forget the "Drill, Baby, Drill" mantra of yester-month. We Americans are not accustomed to expensive energy. The signs and bumper-stickers will come back into full view when gasoline creeps back above $3 per gallon.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com.