COEUR d'ALENE - In a candid chat at The Coeur d'Alene Resort on Friday morning, Gov. Butch Otter said Idaho's energy potential and resurgent economy could help lead the country out of recession.

"Jobs and the economy," Otter said. "That's the prime mover. That's the big bang. Energy is going to play a much bigger role in the economy of Idaho than I ever imagined."

The state imports 40 percent of its energy, the governor said, but that number could be changing soon. New developments in wind, solar and hydroelectric power - and new ways of combining those energy sources - have created opportunities and opened doors.

"With the technology we've got, there's a whole new synergistic protocol coming into play," Otter said during a meeting with the newspaper's editorial board.

Systems can now be linked, he said, an interconnectedness that allows energy providers to shift from wind to solar to hydroelectric power with the flick of a switch.

For example, Otter said, power companies can shut down the turbines of a hydroelectric dam when the wind is blowing. The water stays in the reservoir, electricity is generated by the spinning blades of a nearby wind farm, and the process becomes more efficient overall.

"So it's like storing energy," Otter said. "They have the capacity, the capability now to make those shifts. Syner-gistically, when you see all this activity going on, and you start connecting the dots, we're this close to something big."

The energy sector also creates jobs, the governor said. Windmill towers and generators are now being manufactured in Idaho. Solar panels are made here, too.

Otter said the state is working hard on transmission infrastructure, making it easier to combine systems, creating the necessary links in the chain. With the proper infrastructure, he said, the energy will not have to travel a great distance.

Right now, Otter said, the state's economy is at $51 billion. He mentioned "Project 60," the governor's plan to boost Idaho's economy to $60 billion.

In order to reach that goal, Otter said the state must maintain stability and fiscal responsibility.

"We can't spend more money than we bring in," he added. "Idaho is now one of five states that balanced (its) budget since the recession."

Out-of-state businesses are choosing Idaho, Otter said, because of the state's balanced budget, stable tax structure and strong financial management. There's also an infrastructure for workforce development, and an increasing number of career-path jobs available, Otter said.

"We've really made some headway with that," Otter said.

According to a Sept. 21 article published by USA Today, Idaho ranked 10th in personal income growth over the past year. The newspaper pegged Idaho as one of "a handful of states leading the nation's crawl out of the worst recession since the 1930s."

Education, too, has made strides in Idaho, Otter said. He spoke of high school students in small rural areas now taking calculus and Latin through the Idaho Education Network, a high-tech classroom delivery system. Through the state's burgeoning dual enrollment program, he said many Idaho students were handed an associate's degree on the same day they received their high school diplomas.

"Because of the capacity of the Idaho Education Network, we have a lot of kids taking dual-credit courses," Otter said.

He was especially proud of the new Science, Technology and Research Center to be constructed near Rathdrum and expected to open next fall. Otter praised Paul and Lorna Finman of the North Idaho Discovery Association - which will fund the building - and the educators who are contributing so much to Idaho's future.

"They are absolutely dedicated people with a genius for tomorrow," Otter said. "The things they've done out there are remarkable."

The governor is in the midst of a re-election campaign. He will run against challenger Keith Allred in November.