Guest column by RONNA ALEXANDERThe government estimates that America will require 21 percent more energy in 2035 than we did in 2009. Where will this energy come from? A newly formed group called the Partnership to Fuel America thinks we should develop the energy resources in North America, rather than continuing to depend on distant and unstable sources in the Middle East and South America.The Partnership to Fuel America, of which the Montana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association recently became partners, is a group of businesses and industries that want to see the country focus on energy development with more stable allies, such as Canada. The recent proposal by TransCanada to expand the Keystone XL pipeline system as a way to increase capacity and bring more oil sands crude to Midwestern refineries is one way in which we may be able to meet our growing energy demands.As America looks for ways to fill its growing energy needs, the Montana Petroleum Marketers and the Partnership to Fuel America believe it is crucial to look first at North American resources. The expansion of the Keystone system will increase the amount of oil imported from Canada to an estimated 1.1 million barrels per day; Canadian oil represents a stable and affordable energy source. The long-term benefit of increasing trade with our friendly neighbor to the north will be greater energy security, as we will no longer need to depend on unfriendly or politically unstable regimes.Read more here.