Energy secretary shoots down rumors that he plans to leave

Despite the rumors that he might be leaving his post, Energy Secretary Steven Chu says he plans to remain on the job.

"I came here because I believe in what the president believes in in terms of energy and the environment," Chu said on Platts Energy Week Sunday.

Saying he will remain in his job "as long as the president will have me," Chu discussed areas where common ground can be found with a more partisan Congress, such as energy efficiency.

Chu, just coming back from the international climate summit in Cancun, Mexico, also discussed international efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

The evidence for climate change, he said, is "overwhelming," as is the need to make progress on a price on carbon.

"I would prefer sooner rather than later," he said, "but eventually, will there be a price on carbon? Yes."

For now, however, Chu said that the focus should be on renewable energy -- even if reaching that requires including nuclear and carbon capture and storage technologies in a clean energy standard, an option he brought up at the New Millennium Nuclear Energy Summit last week.