Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at Keller Auditorium Wednesday night.

PORTLAND, Ore. -  Former Vice President Al Gore came to town Wednesday to press his case for U.S. polices that cut dependence on foreign oil through solar and wind power.

The Nobel prizewinner was greeted by more than 2,300 people who packed Keller Auditorium and paid $65 to hear him and by a large group of protesters outside.

During his speech Gore congratulated Portlanders.

“Thank you Portland for pioneering light rail in a very affordable and comfortable way,” he said.

Additionally, he addressed climate change.

“We’re putting 90 million tons everyday of global-warming pollution into that thin shell of atmosphere as if it is an open sewer,” he said.

But outside protesters disagreed with Gore’s ideas to promote caps on pollution.

“I think this is a total wrong way to go about it,” said protester Danette Bemis. “I think it needs to be something that’s not done by government taking over business.”

Those on the opposite side of the street and on the opposite end of the political spectrum argued for broad limits.

“We should all use the more efficient light bulbs. We should all use convenient transportation alternatives to cars where we can,” said K.C. Golden, policy director of Climate Solutions. “But this is bigger than that. If we don’t do this together, we cannot do it at scale.”

Gore said he thinks feasible alternatives are solar and wind power.

“Fuel that is free forever. That seems like a pretty good choice to me,” he said.

Gore plans to speak at a fundraiser for Oregon gubernatorial candidate Bill Bradbury Thursday morning. The event sold out its 600 tickets and is not open to the public or the media.